Drinking Water Smells,
Taste, and Odors
Written by Mr. Brian Oram, PG
Drinking Water Smells, Smelly Water, Taste and Odor Problems- Threshold Odor Number (TON)
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Besides the parameters described in this report,
the color, appearance, taste, smell, and odor of drinking water is the first
clue to the homeowner that there may be a problem with the water.
It is important to note that some chemicals, especially organic
compounds and bacterial agents, may be at toxic or at pathogenic (i.e., disease
causing) levels, without any observable clues to a problem.
It is important to note that some chemicals, especially organic
compounds and bacterial agents, may be at toxic or at pathogenic (i.e., disease
causing) levels, without any observable clues to a problem.
For this reason, it is recommended that you have your water tested at
least annually.
Table 1 describes the common water quality problems that may be detectable
based on the taste, odor, or appearance.
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Primary treatment method used to handle taste, smell, odor, or
color problems may include filtration, filtration through a carbon filter,
softening, reverse osmosis, chlorination and distillation.
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The type of pretreatment would depend on the concentration and type of
contamination and associated water quality.
Taste, Smell, Odor, and Color and Associated
Potential Problems
Taste Problems
Salty-brackish
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High sodium
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Alkali Taste
Oily, Fishy, or Perfume-Like Taste |
High hardness, total dissolved solids, high alkalinity Surfactants |
Metallic Taste
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Low pH, high metal
content, corrosive water
A metallic taste can be caused by inorganic chemicals such as iron (at levels over 0.004 mg/l), manganese (> 0.1 mg/L) copper (2-5 mg/l), and zinc (4-9 mg/l), nuisance bacteria |
Odor / Smell Problems Drinking Water
Rotten-Egg Odor Smell Musty Odors Smell Earthy, musty,
grassy, fishy, vegetable and cucumber
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Hydrogen
sulfide, sulfate-reducing bacteria, Softwater reactions in
electric water heaters, algal by-products, bacteria, algal by-products,
surfactants
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Oily Smell
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Gasoline or oil contamination, possibly nuisance bacteria
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Methane Like Gas Smell
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Organic decomposition - note natural gas has no odor, but
the natural gas delivered to your home has mercaptans (sulfur -compounds)
added that create a strong odor to help detect leaks. |
Phenolic Smell
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Industrial or gasoline contamination
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Chemical Smell
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Organic chemicals, Industrial
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Color
Milky
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Precipitation
of carbonates, excessive air, suspended solids
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Reactions with manganese and possibly iron, IRB/ Slime
Bacteria, anaerobic bacteria
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Yellowish Tint
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Presence of humic or fluvic compounds, iron, IRB bacteria,
anaerobic/aerobic bacteria
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Reddish Tint
Foam |
Presence of Dissolved or precipitated iron,
iron, IRB bacteria, anaerobic/aerobic bacteria
Surfactants - Foaming Agents |
(Source: Driscoll, 1986; Lehr, 1980; Oram, 1990)
Threshold
Odor Numbers- How They Are Determined
Source: Civil Engineering
Department of Virginia Tech
TON = (A + B)/ A
A - Volume of Sample with odor
B - Volume of Pure Water with no odor Added
If A was a 100 ml sample and 100 ml of water had to be
added to not detect the odor - the TON would be 2.
TON = (100 + 100)/ 100
TON = (100 + 100)/ 100
What to Do About
Discolored Well Water After Heavy Rain
http://puricare.blogspot.com/2016/09/water-pollution-and-water-contamination_9.html. ...
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http://puricare.blogspot.com/2016/09/pharmaceuticals-personal-care-products.html.......
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PURICARE
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PURICARE
INDUSTRIAL
ENTERPRISES
Water
Treatment
Systems
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http://www.water-research.net/index.php/taste-odor
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