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Why Does Bathroom Sink Water Taste Different? (Explained)

Are you wondering why your bathroom sink water tastes a bit funnier and different while drinking? Is it due to rusty water pipes or is it due to bacterial buildup?

Whether the reason for bad taste in water lies in the pipework or it is due to the ineffective filtration process, it is highly concerning to find a different taste in the bathroom sinks’ water.

Why does Bathroom Sink Water Taste Different?

Your bathroom sink’s water tastes different due to lead or iron pipes which leads to the contamination of water with metallic elements. In addition, the taste can also be different due to the microbial growth in the water due to the lack of residual chlorine or chlorine dioxide.

Without a doubt, nothing can beat the supremacy of water when it comes to reducing your thrust. However, not all water tastes the same hence, your bathroom water may taste a bit funny to you.

But being knowledgeable regarding the reasons can aid you in understanding the situation more clearly.

Polluted Tap:

The bathroom sink’s water will taste different if the tap is somehow polluted or contaminated. There may be some types of dirt, rust circulating in the tap nozzle which is causing the water to taste different.

In addition, if there is something in the tap nozzle, you need not worry a lot as this problem can be remedied by cleaning the tap nozzle.

Reduced Residual Chlorine or Chlorine Dioxide:

Residual chlorine or chlorine dioxide is a very important element that hinders microbial growth. If there is microbial growth in the water, the water will taste different.

In addition, residual chlorine or chlorine dioxide deters and prevents bacteria and keeps the water fresh.

Additionally, because of having the water stored in a tank, the mains chlorine will be lost in the water and furthermore, there will be a lack of residual chlorine or chlorine dioxide which will make the bathroom water taste different.

Lack of Filtration:

Bathroom water can taste different from the other sources of water. Kitchen water is filtered and will have a different taste as people are expected to drink from it.

However, people are not usually expected to drink bathroom sinks’ water hence, the water may not be filtered which can cause the water to have a different taste.

Lead:

Bathroom water can also taste different due to the fact that the pipe that brings water to your bathroom is dirty, polluted, or contains lead. Consequently, lead can bring an unpleasant smell and taste to the water.

Is bathroom sink water the same as kitchen water?

When you call a plumber to mend or install your water pipes which will channel water throughout the whole house, the plumber while installing the pipes will probably not differentiate the pipes of the bathroom and kitchen. 

In addition, this is due to the fact that the source of the water of the bathroom sink and the water of the kitchen is the same. 

However, if the water system of the kitchen is attached to a purification system, then there is a possibility that the water of the kitchen will taste different from the water of the bathroom sink.

Furthermore, the water of the bathroom sink may not be the same due to the pipes. Bathroom sinks’ pipes may contain some chemical residue which can also contribute to the difference.

Why does bathroom sink water taste different than kitchen sink water?

Bathroom sink water tastes different from kitchen sink water because the water although comes from the same source, it goes through a different process before channeling through different water taps.

In addition, the pipe may be different than that of the kitchen sink which can contribute to the different tastes. Moreover, the pipes of the bathroom sink sometimes may contain some lead in them. Lead in water can be a dangerous thing and cause the water to have a different taste.

Moreover, the simplest reason why the water may taste different than that of kitchen sink water is that the pipe may be contaminated, dirty, or polluted.

Furthermore, the water of the different areas can also cause the water to taste very different. Your bathroom sink’s pipework can be of zinc, copper, plastic, and rubber which can cause the water to have a rubbery, coppery, and plastic-type taste that may be absent in the kitchen sinks.

Is it safe to drink water from my bathroom sink?

It is not always safe to drink water from your bathroom sink and it highly depends on the circumstances. The first reason why it is not safe to drink water from the bathroom sink is related to the tank water.

In addition, if your bathroom sink’s water is stored in a water tank and if the water does not come from the mains, the water will have non-existent residual chlorine or chlorine dioxide and this can make room for microbial growth.

Furthermore, this will contribute to making the water less safe as the residual chlorine is not present in the water to fight the germs.

In addition, if your bathroom sinks’ piping is of copper pipe or lead pipe, chances are the water bears the taste of copper and lead in it. 

This can be highly dangerous for your health. Unless your area’s water is purified or you have a filtration system attracted to the bathroom sink, it is not safe to drink the bathroom sink’s water.

Why does bathroom sink water taste bad?

There are so many reasons that can contribute to making the bathroom sink water taste bad. 

Moreover, lack of residual chlorine or chlorine dioxide, old and rusty lead or iron pipes, stored water, and many other reasons can cause the bathroom sink water to taste bad.

In addition, residual chlorine can repel the bacteria that float in the water but if there is a lack of it, there will be microbial growth, and bacterial build-up which can also cause the sink water to taste bad. 

Additionally, if the tap of the bathroom is contaminated, chances are it will add a musty taste to the water. The area and season also matter in the taste of the water.

How do you get rid of metallic taste in water?

There can be a metallic taste in the water especially if there is a low PH level in the water. If there are rusty, old metal residential or city pipes, chances are these pipes are contaminating the water with manganese, iron, copper, and zinc.

In addition, lead contaminates the water to an extent that makes the water very toxic. However, it is a good thing that you can get rid of the metallic taste very easily. 

Firstly, if the old metallic pipes are causing the water to taste funny, you need to replace the old, rusty-looking pipes. Secondly, you need to take a sample of the water and send it to the testing lab to taste the water whether there are actually any metals inside it or not.

Moreover, another effective way of getting rid of the nasty metallic taste is to install a filtration system to balance the minerals and PH level of the water in the house which will filter the water every time you drink water.

How do you fix bad-tasting tap water?

The last thing you want is the bad taste of water. There may even be some chlorine-type taste in the water and to fix this bad tasting water, you need to add a filtration system to enhance the taste of the drinking water. 

In addition, one of the most basic things you can do to fix the bad-tasting water is to boil the water thoroughly. 

When you boil the water, the bacteria and germs will be diminished in the water and will offer you good-tasting water. Moreover, boiling your water can also help you to eradicate the chlorine taste. 

In addition, you can also clean up the faucet with vinegar solution regularly to remove the bad taste from the water. Furthermore, if you do not want to install an expensive filtration system, then you need to buy a water filter that can aid in fixing the bad-tasting tap water.

Another cheaper option will be buying a filter jug which can assist in removing bad odor, and bacteria from the water.

Why does water taste different in bathroom sinks upstairs?

The downstairs sinks’ (for example, kitchen sink) water directly comes from the mains and the water does not sit on the pipes or in the tank, therefore, the water is pretty fresh. It also does not contain noticeable germs.

In addition, the upstairs bathrooms sinks’ water usually comes from the tank and not from the mains hence, the water sits on the pipe meaning the water is stored in the tank

In this process, there may be algae, dust, dirt, and bacterial buildup which can cause the water to taste different in the sinks upstairs. In addition, tanked water absorbs CO2 which can also cause a different taste in the upstairs bathroom sinks’ water.

Final Thoughts:

Your bathroom sink’s water may taste a bit funny due to the lack of filtration, lack of chlorine dioxide, and contaminated taps. It may also be due to the plumbing as the pipes which include copper and zinc can be connected with lead solder, thus can give a different taste to the water.