23 October 2007

Water source changed in the ACT?

| sbugden
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Has the water supply changed in the ACT in the past couple of weeks? The water seems to have a smell to it like it did a few months ago when the water supply was changed. Has anyone else noticed?

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Lord Mælinar11:52 am 26 Oct 07

OK Scientists. Here’s a more realistic summary:

Your water tastes different because it has different mineral contents due to the varying water level of the dam – think silt, that’s the level you are drinking at the moment. While water quality is measured by chemical and biological analysis, taste is determined by mineral content and the disinfectant processes (such as chlorine which is added to kill bugs).

So: The ‘environmental conditions’ is you are drinking a higher mineral content because the sediment is at a higher concentration because you are drinking the dregs of the dam. Different water supplies have different mineral content because they have travelled through different geological formations to get to the water supply source, which will also affect the taste.

Hope that helps and debunks a few myths.

Lord Mælinar.

The taste comes from environmental conditions.
Which environmental conditions? Be specific please.

And, by the way, I test weekly for carbonates, TDS and Ca/Mg cations from water that comes out my tap. So no vague waving-the-hands, specifics please.

jemmy, you’ve reinforced my initial point precisely, and you probably lack the wherewithall to see just how.

I rest my case.

The taste comes from environmental conditions.
Which environmental conditions? Be specific please. I can’t see how low inflows have any impact on the quality of the outflow, esp after treatment.

Care to backup your statement that using the heater somehow magically contributes to water taste?

They’ve been pumping water from the Murrumbidgee recently, to boost our supply… My guess is that’s got a lot to do with the different taste.

The problem with open forums like these is that the really dumb people with little grasp of reality can post their opinions as though they counted for anything.

Mr Evil, if you can’t accept the fact that in times of drought with record low inflows from a degraded catchment environment the water may not be as perfect as a bottle of spring water, maybe you need to get out there and do a reality check.

The current taste of the water has nothing to do with its safety or cleanliness, which are as always world class. The taste comes from environmental conditions. It may well become more common in the future. So next time you get into your car and drive somewhere, or turn on a heater or airconditioner, or luxuriate in a hot shower, take a moment to reflect that you are contributing to the conditions that have caused the current taste in the water. What goes around comes around, and it is coming around to bite us rather hard I fear.

Even more to the point is that when the quality changes suddenly, you have to wonder why.

Of course don’t mention this to Actew or they will make it permanantly taste like “arse” so that we will cease worring…

The point is, we’re not living in a developing country so why should we put up with crappy smelling and tasting water?

Danman_straight6_EB_Falcodore1:25 pm 24 Oct 07

stop complaining about running water – or go to a developing nation for a reality check….

ChrisInTurner112:45 pm 24 Oct 07

Buy yourself a filter jug, they really work.

I had a glass of water this morning that had a distinct iodine taste to it (the stuff you put in water on camping trips to sterilize it)…

Rawhide Kid No 29:37 am 24 Oct 07

I did noticed on Saturday that there was hell of a lot of water spilling over the Cotter Dam wall.

la mente torbida8:12 am 24 Oct 07

“It tastes like arse”

….I wouldn’t know about that….;-)

Vic Bitterman10:57 pm 23 Oct 07

Dunno, but this topic is timely.

My wife asked me this morning if I had heard anything about water, as it ‘tasted funny’ from the tap….

Can’t say I had noticed, and I hadn’t heard anything either!

It tastes like arse.

Felix the Cat10:36 pm 23 Oct 07

A couple of weeks or so ago the tap water had a brownish tinge to it. Seems OK now. I think it was only for a day or so. Might of been something to do with all the construction activity in Gungahlin.

I noticed a different smell to the water on Saturday. I just think it’s all part and parcel of low quality of water coming out of Googong.

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