Tap water

[Bkk]

We've lived in east dulwich for just over a year now, and cannot drink or cook with our tap water as it tastes awful. We have had to resort to bottled water because even good old Britta can't get rid if the taste. Even steaming veggies in it, makes the vegetables taste vile! Does anyone else have this problem? We are on Underhill road.

Thanks

[AbDabs]

Where did you live before? I only ask because we do have very hard water here (which is why you get so much scale) and it will taste very different from a soft water area.

[lane lover]

Agree with AbDabs. I find London water pretty consistent. When I first moved to London, I definitely noticed the "hardness" and the different smell.

You get used to it in time. Its like walking into the cheese store on LL ... at first you smell the cheese (strongly), but within a minute or two it disappears.

[James Barber]

Hi Bkk,

If you're sure it has an odd taste and you think its your home with this and not shared with lots of others - ask for a glass of tap water at a cafe perhaps to test or neighbours or friends in the area.

IF you stil lthink you have a problem them I would contact Thames Water so its quality can be test and confirmed.

[TopTree]

Move?

[Lowlander]

I would report to Thames Water ASAP, that must be an issue with your household piping.

There are many reports showing that even head chefs and wine critics cannot tell the difference between London tap water and expensive mineral water

http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/heating-water-and-electricity/guides/switching-from-bottled-to-tap-water-/tap-vs-bottled-water/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1572840/Tap-water-beats-bottles-in-taste-test.html

[Penguin68]

I have been drinking S London water since 1975 - and really enjoy it - look forward to a glass of London tap when I'm travelling abroad - if it really tastes that nasty you must get it checked. Is it mains or via a cold-water tank (if that's not properly covered, things can get in, and then die!) You said cooking water tastes bad - in houses kitchen taps are normally mains sourced - but in flats they may come via a cistern. Advice to try out other tap water is good, if it tastes bad to you as well - then you may just have a very unlucky response to London minerals.

[JohnL]

I could - Swansea was very very soft water and on

moving to London I hated it.

Am used to it now.

Lowlander Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I would report to Thames Water ASAP, that must be

> an issue with your household piping.

>

> There are many reports showing that even head

> chefs and wine critics cannot tell the difference

> between London tap water and expensive mineral

> water

>

> http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/heating-wat

> er-and-electricity/guides/switching-from-bottled-t

> o-tap-water-/tap-vs-bottled-water/

>

> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1572840/Tap

> -water-beats-bottles-in-taste-test.html

[Mike Dodd]

Grow Up nothing wrong with the water just a hard water area for f**ksake

[fl0wer]

If the water filter isn't making enough difference it's possible that there's a problem up in the water tank in your loft. Besides a taste from metal corrosion up there, a plumber once told me a horror story about drowned pigeons.....sorry to place such images in your mind, but it's the first thing to check.

[Bkk]

Thanks all (except for knob Dodd an T.T) will definitely investigate all those suggestions. I moved from Northcote Road, and grew up in Birmingham which has hard water, but this is something else! Floating pigeons..... YUM!

[Loz]

It's a tough neighbourhood around here. Even our water is f***ing hard.

[beef]

I work in a building in ED with numerous taps in different rooms. In 2 particular rooms the water is foul, undrinkable, really nasty. In the next room the tap water is fine, as is the rest of the building.

No idea why this is so, asked around and no one else in the building knows, we all just live with it.

Don't accept that it may just be the hardness that you're not used to, there may be an actual problem. Ask a neighbour if you can try their water or a friend to second test yours.

If there is a problem, call Thames Water, you pay water rates after all.

[UncleBen]

Man up and drink the water. Or alternatively investigate a possible cause, and if there is one it will be in your own home and not TW fault-they do actually supply a few others as well as you. Edited just for catzy

[Catzy]

UncleBen, that bleating comment is ridiculous.

[macutd]

my cats won't drink tap water and only drink rain water gathered in pots in the garden

[intexasatthe moment]

Bkk hope you get it sorted .

The floating pigeons scenario/urban myth ( though my dad used to terrify me with that tale and I wouldn't want to imply that he was fibbing ) applies to water from a water tank .

And your drinking water , from kitchen tap ,should ( unless something wrong ) comes from the mains .

[Callie]

macutd Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> my cats won't drink tap water and only drink rain

> water gathered in pots in the garden

One of my cats can't get enough of my kitchen tap water - he likes it fresh running straight from the tap lol. Not so interested if it's in the bowl though.

[SarahG]

I used to live on Underhill Road and never had a problem with the water!

[jimmyay]

London tap water is totally rank when you've lived in other places. it's not poisonous but heavily treated and bears no relation to fresh spring water or water which has come from other parts of the country where treatment is minimal . Don't forget what you are drinking is merely heavily treated water from the River Thames, not the clearest mountain spring.

[UncleBen]

TW has more stringent checks and quality requirements than any other bottled water.

[Rianoo]

Just get your mains pressure tested - then you will know if there is a leak. If your drinking water doesn't come from the mains then that is odd. A tank should, in most cases, only be for things like the toilet and bathroom sink, shower. Which as you aware is the water that you brush your teeth with - so investigate that also. Other than that I drink the water from the tap, around the corner from you, by the gallon.

[The Minkey]

"I could - Swansea was very very soft water and on

moving to London I hated it."

Funnily enough, when I go back to see the family in Porthcawl, the smell of the tap water is very noticeable.

"London tap water is totally rank when you've lived in other places."

Depends which places you've lived. Years ago, I lived in Barcelona and you could smell water running out the tap from across the room.

[JohnL]

Maybe you just get used to the water where you are.

This morning on breakfast tv they did a water test as if it were wine - not sure about that :)

The Minkey Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> "I could - Swansea was very very soft water and on

>

> moving to London I hated it."

>

> Funnily enough, when I go back to see the family

> in Porthcawl, the smell of the tap water is very

> noticeable.

>

> "London tap water is totally rank when you've

> lived in other places."

>

> Depends which places you've lived. Years ago, I

> lived in Barcelona and you could smell water

> running out the tap from across the room.

[KidKruger]

Love the London water, tastes fine.

I plumbed my entire cold water supply from the mains, no water tank, so every tap can be drunk from, even hot !

I'm buggered if the water supply is cut-off during works tho.