Something off with your water?
A strange taste, smell, or color is your water telling you something. Pick what you’re noticing and we’ll walk you through the likely cause, whether it’s a health concern or just a nuisance, how to confirm it — and the certified filter that actually fixes it. And we’ll tell you when a filter won’t help.
Water tastes…
A funny taste is your water telling you what dissolved into it — usually a mineral, metal, or the disinfectant.
Water smells…
Most odors come from gases or the disinfectant, and some come from the drain — not the water itself.
Water looks…
Color, cloudiness, and stains point to sediment, metals, or hardness — and sometimes to something completely harmless.
Guidance here is general and based on the most common causes; for a private well or a suspected health hazard, test your water or contact your utility or health department. See our methodology.