What it is
Taste is assessed by trained laboratory analysts and reported as a dilution number: how much the sample has to be diluted before the taste is no longer detectable. Clean water scores low.
Where it comes from
Taste problems come from dissolved minerals such as iron, manganese, chloride or sulphate, from organic matter and algae in surface-influenced supplies, from plastic or rubber plumbing materials, and from disinfection by-products where chlorine is used.
Why it matters
Taste is an aesthetic parameter: the guideline is that the water should be acceptable to consumers with no abnormal change. An unusual taste is rarely harmful in itself, but it is often the first sign that something else in the water has changed, so it is worth following up with the chemical results.
What can be done about it
The remedy depends on the cause the other results reveal. Metallic tastes point to iron, manganese or copper treatment; earthy or musty tastes to activated carbon filtration; salty tastes to chloride or sodium. A Pozzani engineer reads the taste result alongside the rest of the report.
Information last reviewed 5 October 2026 by Pozzani Pure Water.