Why Aren’t You Drinking Your Tap Water?

Why Aren't You Drinking Your Tap Water?

Do you drink water strictly from a filtered jug or from expensive bottled water? Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why you don’t drink your tap water?

When most people are asked this question, their response is some version of “I don’t like the taste.” Some other common answers we hear are that the tap water smells bad, is discoloured, or might be unsafe to drink. The next question that you as a home owner may want to ask yourself is, “knowing that I could save money if I didn’t have to buy water and that I would not be contributing to plastic bottle waste, would it make sense to make my tap water drinkable?”

Reasons Your Tap Water May Not Be Drinkable

The solutions to make your tap water drinkable depends on the issue you are having with your tap water. The main issues homeowners have with the drinkability of their water is: their water is discoloured, are concerned that their water is unsafe to drink, or their water simply tastes or smells bad. Each of these issues has their own unique solution which we will cover below.

Hard Water

If your water leaves a residue around your taps and drains it may have more minerals in it giving it a discoloured appearance. This type of water may simply be “hard water” and while it is perfectly fine to drink, it can cause a number of issues in your home.

Hard Water test

Hard water contains calcium and magnesium minerals. There is nothing wrong with drinking hard water. Our bodies actually need and use these minerals for our bones, hair and nails. While hard water is an issue with damaging buildup inside water pipes, dishwashers, washing machines, and coffee makers, a quality water softener is a perfect solution to extend the life of these appliances. Often our clients who have softeners ask us to run a hard water line and extra tap to their kitchen sink just for drinking so that they don’t have to drink the soft water. It is important to call in a professional plumber to inspect and test your water, and make a recommendation on solution that is right for your family.

Taste & Smell Of Water

Besides paying your water bill and turning on your tap, you probably don’t think much about how water gets to your tap and into your glass. This process can have a lot to do with how your water looks, tastes and smells. Each municipality has a very intricate process in filtering and disinfecting water before it gets to your tap however that still allows some bad-tasting and dangerous chemicals like chlorine and chloramines through. These very smelly chemicals are necessary in order to destroy bacteria in water to keep us all safe. However they should not be ingested. Depending on the source of the water in the system, there may be other elements like sediment, sulphur or manganese in the water that reaches your home. These can also cause odour and discolouration.

boy drinking tap water

This is where having a household water filtration system comes in handy! If your household water is smelly, not clear, tastes poorly, or isn’t flowing properly, we install quality filtration systems to make household water drinkable, affordable and enjoyable. Call your trusted Newmarket professional plumbers to conduct a water safety test, and we will have you back to loving your tap water in no time.

Unsafe Water

Unsafe water generally occurs in rural locations, including cottage country. Although your water may have been safe to drink last summer, it can deteriorate over the winter and become contaminated with bacteria or other harmful chemicals.

cabin by the lake

Luckily, Harris Plumbing specializes in cottage plumbing and we can help you prevent and remedy these issues! Quit lugging heavy water jugs to your cottage! Save your back and start drinking your tap water! (Win-Win!)


How Harris Plumbing Can Help

At Harris Plumbing, we supply, install and warranty high-quality water filtration systems and water softeners that will provide a solid foundation for safety and quality assurance of your household water. To learn more about the filtration systems available through Harris Plumbing, please visit our Water Filtration page or call us today. We’re here for you, and you deserve incredible, great tasting, safe water – 365 days a year, 24/7.

Stop buying expensive bottled water, jump in to the #saynotoplastic movement and start drinking your own delicious tap water! Send us videos of you pouring yourself a nice cold glass of tap water this summer and ask others #WhyArentYouDrinkingYourTapWater

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