Drinking a glass of water at home after a long day of work can be considered the easiest and the most economical way to relax. But wait, is your water not tasting as refreshing as it is supposed to? Or worst yet, does it have a fishy smell? If yes, you are about to find out why in the following article.
Generally, it is due to the presence of harmful contaminants present in water, like barium and cadmium. But there are several other reasons associated with it.
Let’s find out!
Reasons For Water Smells Like Fish
If the water smells like fish, it doesn’t mean that your water contains fish. Also, the Fishy smell from the water does not indicate any presence of harmful containments.
So, when your tap water smells like fish, you must find out the source of the smell.
Here are the reasons for the fishy smell in the water.
Barium and Cadmium
If the source of the smell is water only, then it is due to organic compounds in water. Barium and Cadmium are the two most common compounds naturally present in water known for causing a fishy smell.
Barium is a metal in the mineral ore that seeps into the underground water and then the water supply system.
On the other hand, Cadmium is a metal added to the water through the run-off of chemical fertilizers, industrial wastes, and deteriorating galvanizing plumbing systems.
EPA recommends that water treatment plants monitor the level of both metals. But you should install RO in your homes to remove the fishy smell caused by Barium and Cadmium. RO helps in removing other harmful metals and compounds as well.
Chloramine
Chloramine is a chemical compound made up of Chlorine and Ammonia. Water treatment plants add chloramine to the water to kill tiny bacteria and pathogens.
A high level of chloramine can cause a fishy smell in the water. To eliminate the chloramine from your water, you can install Catalytic Carbon Chloramine Reduction System.
Organic Material in the Drain
Sometimes the culprit behind the fishy smell is not your water but the drain. You should check whether a fishy smell is coming from all tap water or not.
If it is coming from only one tap, then organic material in the drain or faucet can cause a fishy smell in the water.
You should leave the water running for 5-10 minutes and make sure to clean your drain and taps. Also, if they are too old, call a plumber and change the fixtures for odorless water.
Algae Blooms
If your water source is well, lakes, rivers, and reservoirs, then the reason for the fishy smell in the water could be algae. Especially during the summer season, when the temperature gets too high, algae blooming happens.
Although water treatment removes the algae, some of them seep into the water supply and travel to your homes.
To remove the fishy smell caused by algae, you should contact your water supplier. Otherwise, RO is there!
Is water smelling Fishy Safe to Drink?
The first question that comes to your mind when you drink smelly water is whether it is safe or not.
Most of the time, water that has a funny smell is safe to drink. The same is the case for fishy smells in the water.
The fishy smell occurs due to harmless containments; however, a high level of chemical compounds, minerals, or organic substances has some side effects.
You should be careful and test the water to know what chemical is causing a fishy smell in your water.
Conclusion
Although you know the reasons behind the fishy smell in the water, finding out the exact reason is difficult for you. Either you should test the water to see the cause or leave the job to RO.
Reverse Osmosis (RO) will eliminate all the harmful chemicals, minerals, and substances from the water and make it odorless and tasteless. Also, always clean your drains and taps to remove the organic materials from them.
After completing this graduation in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Manipal University in 2013, Ankit began rummaging the current Indian market of technology and science. At apolloedoc, Ankit’s job profile consists of cumulating, researching, testing, and verifying products related to tech.
He has a knack for details and catches even the tiniest advantages and flaws that can make or break the product. Since last year, he has been writing for apolloedoc and has been our knight in shining armour when reviewing home appliances.
Ankit’s favourite pastimes consist of jamming onto his guitar with a couple of friends and constantly updating and learning new things! He is also a big-time pet lover and has a cute little pug named Oreo back in Chandigarh. He has bagged many achievements in his college by participating in multiple extracurricular activities.
Writing is something that comes to Ankit naturally. He has his own blog where he posts about coding languages and even provides coaching to students from 12th grade to 2nd year of college. At apolloedoc, Ankit beautifully showcases his knack for the written word by lucidly explaining information in an unbiased way.