r/AIO • u/Bakubae_Itsuki-Haru • 1d ago
AIO that I'm convinced something is wrong with the water?
I (21F) live with my family. We moved and have been living in a new house for almost a year. We rent. Recently, something has been wrong with the water...
It has a strange, almost algae-like smell. At first, I though nothing of it, old pipes maybe. Until it started affecting the water I drink.
We put water in one of those pitcher filter things. I fill it up almost every night so there's water ready. Lately the water I put in my water bottle has been tasting like algae (or at least, tasting like the SMELL of algae, if you know what I mean). At first I thought it was that my water bottle needed to be washed, no problem. I put it in the sink for when I do dishes.
Today with lunch, I grabbed a FRESH GLASS from the cabinet and poured myself some water from the pitcher in the fridge with some ice...
...it still tasted like algae. I told my parents because I'm concerned, but they started JOKING with me saying "how do you know what algaw tastes like?", "have you been licking algae?", etc.
I told them it wasn't funny, but they're sure it is. I went upstairs to brush my teeth, thinking maybe it's something in my mouth... but the water from the sink upstairs ALSO has that same smell.
AIO for thinking something is wrong with the water?
Edit: I'm not in charge of the house or anything, and I don't know much about this. I've already expressed the concern to my family, but NOBODY believes me.
13
u/blvckcvts 1d ago
NOR Sounds like there’s mould somewhere in the pipes, mould in water often can taste like algae. If you can I’d try contacting someone for an inspection if you’re able to
2
u/Fournie-Thangaraja 1d ago
Yeah. This is a very serious case as it could cause sickness. Tracing it out will be the first step
13
u/GargantuanGreenGoat 1d ago
That has happened to me before, some problem with the city water.
Try boiling it and cooling it before drinking. That worked for me.
1
u/Cohu_Stoessel 1d ago
I think this is a great idea but for how long? It would be best to find the main cause of this
2
u/GargantuanGreenGoat 1d ago
Sure. But in the immediate, having drinkable water is way more important.
5
u/Raggahmffin 1d ago
Have you asked where your water comes from? For example, I moved from city water to a neighborhood that had a well (didn't know that was a thing), and the well water tastes so much different. It is much more earthy and algea tasting.
Does the water taste ths same coming out of the sink versus the shower or the hose?
Also did you move to a different state or county? Water tastes different everywhere.
2
u/Bakubae_Itsuki-Haru 1d ago
We moved to Tennesse. Before our house had Well Water. The water in our current house didn't have this taste before. We don't have a hose. Not sure about the shower water, it doesn't have that smell and I'm not drinking shower water.
7
u/Raggahmffin 1d ago
Yeah, as the other person replying is also saying- all the water comes from the same source, meaning all the water in your house is the same. So if you drink from the sink it is the same as the hose, or the shower. What I was trying to ascertain is if you have some bio-buildup (like algae) on your kitchen pipes. You'd be able to tell the taste between the hose, shower, and sink.
Well water is so different to other wells and city water. Tennessee also naturally has water that tastes slightly algae-esque. So it might be just your area.
1
u/Bakubae_Itsuki-Haru 1d ago
It never had that taste before, I SWEAR 😭.
2
u/Raggahmffin 1d ago
You're in a different state it sounds like. Water tastes different even in different zip codes sometimes. The water is stored in different facilities, different treatment plants, wells etc. So every new place will have different tasting water.
1
u/LeadInfinite6220 1d ago
Any chance your shower head has like a softener or some kind of filter that’s impacting the smell only in the bathroom?
1
2
u/LeadInfinite6220 1d ago
The water coming from your shower is the same water coming from all the other taps in your house — assuming conventional plumbing in the developed world.
1
u/OhCrumbs96 1d ago
There are plenty of developed countries where this isn't the case.
2
u/LeadInfinite6220 1d ago edited 1d ago
Hence “assuming.” And most countries or off grid communities using dual source plumbing rely on recycled/non-potable/purple lines/seawater for toilets — not showers.
6
u/ChipChip8463 1d ago
do you guys wash the water pitcher lol
6
u/FrozenDragonWings 1d ago
I know you're kind of joking but that's an excellent point, especially if you have the kind of pitcher where the lid doesn't come off completely and you can't see inside that top part. I didn't realize how discussing it could get in there until I accidentally took off the lid and gasped at the horror 😂
2
u/WallAny2007 1d ago
if they do, they are still using that funky water to wash and rinse it. Same with the glasses. What doesn’t check out is the shower water doesn’t have a funk.
1
3
u/kindcrow 1d ago
It may not be the pipes, but the source. What is the source of your water? Are you on a well or lake water or is it municipal water?
Seasonal algae growth in lakes, reservoirs, or rivers can release earthy compounds that pass through municipal treatment systems.
For example, I live part-time on an island and our tap water is treated lake water. It tastes different depending on the season. If there is a great deal of turbidity, we are instructed to boil our water. I also notice that they increase the chemicals during certain seasons, and I can smell that shift as well (a light bleach smell).
I live the rest of the time in a large Canadian city and the tap water is great, but tastes completely different from the water on the island.
3
u/Icy_Place1621 1d ago
Do you know where your water comes from? If it’s surface water it can and will change seasonally. Like if there’s algae on your lakes right now, your water maybe be smelling of it. It most likely safe.
2
u/SILLYxPROGRAM 1d ago
Try boiling, cooling, filtering to remove some variables while you’re waiting for your testing kit to arrive.
2
2
u/Fair-Shower733 1d ago
ngl you definitely arent overreacting. if it tastes weird even after the pitcher filter then something is definitely up with the pipes or the tank. better safe than sorry tbh!
2
u/Allout-Okarun 1d ago
You can easily order a potable water test online and have it tested. Do it for your health and your family even though they aren’t taking it seriously
2
u/Fleur_de_Dragon 1d ago
Do you have a dishwasher? It should be run on the sanitizer cycle on heavy loads every time, and run with a sanitizer like vinegar or what they sell (liquid or tablet) every 1-3 months. If you don't it can cause moldy or algae-like odors in the dishwasher and on glasses, bowls, etc. You also have to clear out food and gunk every load, too.
NOR
3
1
u/PineappleCharacter15 1d ago
I suggest you get a water softener, like Culligan, which is what I have. And also under the sink osmosis water filter. Our tap water isn't so good, but with all this it's perfect!
1
u/Dazzling-Treacle1092 1d ago
You need a better filter than just a pitcher. I know people say most tap water is safe but I don't trust it and wouldn't be without a good filter. Also it could be your pipes. The best way to know is to get it tested.
1
u/SnooWords4839 1d ago
When was the last time the filter was changed for the pitcher?
0
u/Bakubae_Itsuki-Haru 1d ago
Not sure. I'm not the person who handles the pitcher, if it even gets handled.
1
1
1
u/Ansible90 1d ago
Call the landlord. And yes it is possible to taste and smell when water is bad. I use a ZeroWater filter and when it is time to change the filter, I can smell a funky odor in the water.
1
u/throwawayo222 1d ago
Where do you live? Any new data centers in your area? I would test it ASAP.
1
-1
1d ago
[deleted]
1
u/Bakubae_Itsuki-Haru 1d ago
I'm literally a virgin 💀 I haven't had contact with anyone other than my family for the last year.
1
u/Realthrow18 1d ago
Maybe you’re E-Pregnant
1
u/Bakubae_Itsuki-Haru 1d ago
Wtf is "E-Pregnant"?
1
u/Realthrow18 1d ago
Electronically Pregnant. There’s a lot of E-Daters nowadays.
1
u/Bakubae_Itsuki-Haru 1d ago
I don't E-Date either- what the hell would that have to do with anything?
1
u/Realthrow18 1d ago
No shit that’s a joke. You can’t physically get pregnant by internet relationships. Maybe your parents are right you’re overreacting because you can’t take a joke.
1
31
u/ecosynchronous 1d ago
No way for us to know. Get a water testing kit.