Ideally, water is supposed to be a tasteless, odorless liquid. But what if your water tastes sweet? Should you feel concerned? Yes and no. It depends on the cause of the sweet taste.
Why Is My Tap Water Sweet?
This is a popular question, so don’t worry because you are not alone in asking it!
Sweet tasting tap water is usually harmless. You may be tempted to ignore the sweet taste of water, but you shouldn’t do that. It is always better to find the cause of the sweet water and then decided if you should correct it. The cause can be your plumbing or your own health issues.
High levels of calcium in water can increase the calcium levels in the body and cause health issues. If high iron is the culprit then it can cause damage to the liver and heart. There can be many causes of sweet-tasting water.
Causes Of Sweet Tasting Tap Water
Here are some common causes of sweet tap water…
Mineral Imbalance
Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen but there are other minerals and contaminants present in your water. Sometimes minerals can improve the quality of water, other times they can make the water taste salty, metallic, or sweet.
A pH imbalance in water can alter the taste of water. A high pH — making the water acidic — can make the water taste sweet. This is a common problem and it’s the sort of thing you’d solve with a whole-house water filter. Home water testing kits can easily and cheaply detect pH imbalances in the water.
Some combinations of increased minerals can result in sweet water. If the water contains calcium and iron in very high quantities then it can result in a sweet taste. You can test for these with a water testing kit or by seeing red iron deposits where your water runs.
Lead contamination can also cause a sweet taste in water. Drinking water contaminated with lead can cause serious health issues so this is a very serious issue that is possible in older homes, especially if you have observed a recent increase in acidity. A lead test kit can point out lead contamination in water.
Keep in mind that any chemicals or mineral residue in your pipes can impact the taste of water. Water passes through many pipes before it reaches your house. During the night some amount of water stays in the pipe. All this can result in the metal in the pipes getting mixed with water. Old pipes can aggravate the problem. Any leak in your pipeline can result in external contaminants mixing with water.
Medical Causes
A number of medical causes like diabetes, neurological conditions, pregnancy, lung cancer, and gastroesophageal reflux disease can also cause a sweet taste in water. Viral or bacterial inflammation in your sinuses can also affect your water’s taste.
Diabetes is a very common cause of sweet taste in the mouth. People who are on specific diets may feel a fruity, sweet taste in their mouths. Ordinary infections such as cold and flu can increase the level of glucose in saliva. Certain medicines may alter your taste buds.
These aren’t necessary causes of sweet water, but rather reasons why your water — anything neutral — would taste sweet. It’s a subtle difference but it might help you diagnose your problem.
Foods You Have Consumed
If you have consumed anything sweet then it may leave a residue on your tongue. Water has a neutral taste. If you consume water immediately after eating something sweet then the sweet residue can make the water taste sweet. Consuming sour foods can alter the chemicals in your mouth and make the water taste sweet. But this type of sweetness is temporary. It goes away after the mouth is rinsed properly.
This might seem obvious but it’s actually a common occurrence that residual sweetness is attributed to one’s drinking water.
Where You Live
In rural areas you might have a well instead of water provided by your township or local water supply. Well water can sometimes have a natural sweet taste. This happens due to the increased natural iron and calcium content in well water. When the levels of iron increase in water it imparts a bitter taste. But when increased iron combines with increased calcium it can give a sweet taste to the water.
This is of course the same as the mineral imbalance above, but the specific condition of a well means you’ll have to test your water instead of using the
Other Senses Impacting Your Taste Buds
Sometimes your sense of smell will overwhelm your taste buds. This can confuse your body into making your water taste sweet. If you are experiencing a strong smell then it may temporarily impact your sense of taste.
Similarly when you are extremely thirsty your body could trick you into thinking that the water is sweet.
Sensitive taste buds can cause this as well. Some people are born with extra sensitive taste buds. They can feel any slight difference in taste or flavor which others don’t notice.
How To Fix Sweet Tap Water
Here are some tips to fix your tap water’s taste.
The first tip is to buy a water filter. You can get a heavy-duty reverse-osmosis filter which will fix health and taste problems with your water, or a more affordable filter that will only improve the taste.
- Let the water flow for some time before collecting it in your glass. The accumulated materials will flow out through the pipes. After the materials flow out, you will get clear-tasting water.
- Clean your faucets regularly. Replace very old pipes. They could be accumulating rust and mineral deposits. Get a plumber to inspect your pipes for any leakage. Any broken and damaged pipes should be replaced to prevent water contamination.
- Get your water tested at a water testing lab. Knowing which chemicals and minerals are present in your water can help you to select a proper water filter.
- Methods like activated carbon filtration and aeration can eliminate unwanted taste and smell from your water.
- Air injection removes minerals like iron, sulfur, and manganese from water. It is an expensive process. If you feel that your water is contaminated then it is worth the expense.
- Buying a filtered water cooler is another option for removing chemicals and minerals from water. There are a variety of water filters available in the market. They will clear your water of contaminants.
- If only you can taste sweet water and nobody else in your house feels it then it could be a sign of a medical problem. Get medical advice to rule out any underlying health problem.
- Good oral hygiene can kill the bacteria residing on the tongue and in the crevices of the mouth. This can help you to detect the proper taste of items consumed by you.
- You can install ceramic water filters or alkaline water filters to filter your water. Ultraviolet purification systems and reverse osmosis systems are other methods of water purification.