Water Quality Issues

There are many different reasons that your water may suddenly look, taste or smell funny.

We recommend trying the following steps first to fix the issue, however if they don’t work and the issue persists, please call Water Corp on 13 13 75.

Discoloured Water
Cause: A sudden increase in the rate or direction of water flow through pipes can stir up sediment, making water look discoloured, however it is safe to drink.
What to do: Run a garden tap closest to your water meter for two minutes.

White Water
Cause: Air trapped inside pressurised water pipes converts to tiny air bubbles, which gives water a white or milky appearance.
What to do: Allow the water to stand in an open container and it will become clear. 

Hard Water
Cause: Higher than usual concentration of calcium and magnesium salts in water can cause hard water. It is safe to drink, can need more soap to form a lather, and may have a scaling effect of kettles and hot water systems.
What to do: Put a slice of lemon in the kettle and bring to the boil, refill before next use.

Warm Water
Cause: Warm water coming from your cold-water tap could be because the pipework is in the sun and the water has warmed up. Also, in Perth, some of our water comes from artesian aquifers, which are naturally hot. Warm tap water is safe to drink. The sun can heat water passing through above-ground pipelines. This is more common in country schemes where the water must travel long distances.
What to do: Run the tap for 30 seconds or until the water runs cold. Collect this water and use it to water your garden or pot plants.

Chlorine Taste and Smell
Cause: The reaction of natural organic compounds with chlorine causes this. We add chlorine to all water supply sources to prevent contamination. 
What to do: To remove the taste, you can add freshly squeezed lemon juice to the water, allow water to stand in the sunlight in a covered container for 2 hours, and/or chill the water.

Swampy Taste and Smell
Cause: The smell is caused by trace levels of Dimethyl Trisulphide (DMTS), a natural occurring compound, which forms in the reticulation system within Perth’s Groundwater scheme. DMTS occurs naturally in vegetables, such as garlic and cabbage.
What to do: Run an internal tap for 30 seconds to flush stagnant water from the pipework. Be sure to collect this water and use it to water your garden or pot plants.

Petrol or Kerosene Taste or Smell
Cause: Householder plastic pipes laid underground can absorb a petroleum-based hydrocarbon product if spilt or sprayed on the ground within the vicinity of the pipes. This will result in increasingly strong petrol or kerosene taste and smell within the internal household water supply.
What to do: If you notice this smell, please call the water corporation 24-hour Faults, Emergencies and Security line on 13 13 75.

Plastic Taste
Cause: The reaction of natural organic compounds with chlorine when the water is boiled, or in new houses that have plastic pipes may cause a plastic taste.   
What to do: If your water has a plastic taste after boiling try using a stainless-steel kettle, use fresh water each time you boil the kettle, allow water to stand in the sunlight in a covered glass container for 2 hours, and/or add freshly squeezed lemon juice before boiling.
If you are in a new house with plastic pipes, run the tap for 30 seconds to flush water from the pipework. Be sure to collect this water and use it to water your garden or pot plants.

Bitter Taste in Hot Drinks
Cause: This taste can be caused by a natural-forming, black scale on the inside of kettles or urns. It can form if the kettle is filled with water from a hot water system or the urn is not emptied daily and filled with fresh water.
What to do: To remove the taste mix a heaped teaspoon of citric acid or a tablespoon of vinegar with water, place in the kettle or urn and allow it to boil for three minutes. Rinse the kettle or urn three times with fresh water before use.

Blue-Green Staining and Metallic Taste
Cause: This is usually caused by corrosion of household copper plumbing and occasionally from copper pipes within our water supply system. This can lead to blue-green staining on sinks and showers and metallic tasting water.
What to do to treat blue-green staining: Use a lemon-based cleaning product which contains citric acid or cloudy ammonia.
What to do to remove the taste: Run an internal tap for 30 seconds to flush stagnant water from the pipework. Be sure to collect this water and use it to water your garden or pot plants.