# New faucet=Nasty water **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 5, 2004, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-faucet-nasty-water/232715 "2004-03-05T16:16:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Themis00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/13edae/32.png) [@Themis00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Themis00)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-faucet-nasty-water/232715/1 "2004-03-05T16:16:17Z")
We got a new faucet in my kitchen a few weeks ago. Since then the water has been tasting strange. It’s kind of like a metallic or bleachy taste, especially when warm. What’s going on? Is this normal? Something to be concerned about? ---
**Author:** ![ChunkyLover53](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c0e974/32.png) [@ChunkyLover53](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChunkyLover53)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-faucet-nasty-water/232715/2 "2004-03-05T17:02:24Z")
When installing a new faucet you have to shut off the water. When water is turned back on after a period of stagnation a certain amount of sediment from the pipes is forced up and can get lodged in the faucet strainer. You should always remove the strainers before turning the water back on to prevent this - but I’m thinking your taste may be due to this material stuck in the strainer and a quick rinse may help it. ---
**Author:** ![pipper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c2a13f/32.png) [@pipper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pipper)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-faucet-nasty-water/232715/3 "2004-03-05T17:07:07Z")
Did the new faucet installation involve any soldering? Sometime the flux used during soldering takes a while to flush out of the system. The taste you describe went away a week or two after we had some water supply pipes replaced. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-faucet-nasty-water/232715/4 "2004-03-05T17:28:48Z")
> [@ChunkyLover53](#): > > When water is turned back on after a period of stagnation a certain amount of sediment from the pipes is forced up and can get lodged in the faucet strainer. Say what? So how come I can go away for a few days and come back and not have this problem? It only takes an hour, tops, to change out a faucet. **Pipper** I doubt it’s flux since plumbing is rarely soldered anymore in potable water systems. It could be PVC, in which case the flavor might come from the adhesive used to make joints. Leaving the water running for several hours might flush it out. ---
**Author:** ![ChunkyLover53](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c0e974/32.png) [@ChunkyLover53](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChunkyLover53)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-faucet-nasty-water/232715/5 "2004-03-05T17:40:56Z")
From [Moen](http://www.moen.com/Wholesaler/products/faqs/FAQtmpl_5.cfm?QID=66) : To avoid damage to your new faucet, do not turn on the supply valves until you have followed these flushing instructions. Rotate the handles to the “ON” position, and remove the aerator of the faucet. Open the hot and cold water shut off valves under the sink, and allow the water to run for 15 seconds. While Moen says its to avoid damage - I’ve always been told that it has to do with the aerator. ---
**Author:** ![glilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/48db29/32.png) [@glilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glilly)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-faucet-nasty-water/232715/6 "2004-03-05T18:51:17Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Say what? So how come I can go away for a few days and come back and not have this problem? It only takes an hour, tops, to change out a faucet. > > **Pipper** I doubt it’s flux since plumbing is rarely soldered anymore in potable water systems. It could be PVC, in which case the flavor might come from the adhesive used to make joints. Leaving the water running for several hours might flush it out. Maybe the explosive decompression of air in the lines from the draining shakes sediment off the pipes and into the strainer. But still, why would the sediment taste bad in the strainer and not on the side of a pipe? Plumbing is rarely soldered anymore? How is it connected (copper pipe, that is)? ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-faucet-nasty-water/232715/7 "2004-03-05T19:00:04Z")
> [@glilly](#): > > Plumbing is rarely soldered anymore? How is it connected (copper pipe, that is)? For piddling little jobs like a faucet swapout, pushfit connectors, even on copper. Quick, and easy, no messing about with blowlamps/flux/solder nonsense in cupboards, cheap and demountable in seconds if you need to. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-faucet-nasty-water/232715/8 "2004-03-05T19:01:50Z")
> [@Glyndour](#): > > For piddling little jobs like a faucet swapout, pushfit connectors, even on copper. Or compression fittings. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-faucet-nasty-water/232715/9 "2004-03-05T19:35:27Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Or compression fittings. I would have mentioned compression fittings a few years ago but for most if not all tasks, in my opinion, push on fittings are quicker and cost effective. In the case of a faucet, where the reach of the new v old fitting is often different, splicing in a new length of pipe is the work of seconds, unless there is already a compression joint close at hand. Themiss00. Is there a washing machine/dishwasher close to this faucet and is the faucet served directly by the cold riser main? I have a (taste) related item I will attempt to link to, if I can find it - it’s an oldish item now, may be gone for good. Getbacktaya ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-faucet-nasty-water/232715/10 "2004-03-05T20:42:17Z")
> [@Glyndour](#): > > Themiss00. > Is there a washing machine/dishwasher close to this faucet and is the faucet served directly by the cold riser main? > I have a (taste) related item I will attempt to link to, if I can find it - it’s an oldish item now, may be gone for good. Here is one link but the most relevant ones have dissapeared. There was major work on the freshwater delivery system here and people (lots of 'em) complained about the taste of the water. The water suppliers investigated and came up with the answer that the delivery pressure was slightly higher, causing older flexible hoses to kitchen appliances to ‘balloon’ over a few hours (overnight) and when water was demanded, this would cause a drop in pressure, the hoses would contract and return some of the water stored in them to the system. In the case of older hoses this water was tainted. The water company supplied on request non-return valves to fit to the hoses, to prevent the stored water from being returned to the system. They also said that older washers in the faucets could give rise to tainting. The whole thing sounds like bullshit to me but that was their get-out. My mother’s house was not affected at all, but her appliances are remote from the kitchen faucets and on a seperate branch of the piping. Some people were satisfied with the solution, others not. Seems a bit tenuous but there may be something similar operating in your house. I can hardly believe that there is a problem with the faucet itself as they have to be made to potable water standards, unless there is some rubbish trapped in it, in which case your only option would seem to be to dismantle it and subject it to close scrutiny. I am making the presumption here that it is fed with fresh mains water and not water stored on your property. If it is fed from a tank, and it definately should not be, then you should thoroughly clean the system but more correctly re-route the piping so only fresh water is delivered to it. (legal requirement here) From ‘The Whitby Gazette’ [http://www.whitbytoday.co.uk/viewarticle2.aspx?ArticleID=580767&SectionID=983&Search=water&Searchtype=any&SearchSection=983&DateFrom=011995&DateTo=032004&Page=1&Ret](http://www.whitbytoday.co.uk/viewarticle2.aspx?ArticleID=580767&SectionID=983&Search=water&Searchtype=any&SearchSection=983&DateFrom=011995&DateTo=032004&Page=1&Ret) > [@](#): > > Councillors take water taste test > > YORKSHIRE Water has taken councillors on a tour of their treatment plant in an effort to convince them that problems with the drinking water are not the company’s fault. > > Six town councillors, two borough councillors and Alan Shaw, of Scarborough Council’s environmental health department, were given a talk and tour on Wednesday. > David Simister, public relations manager for Yorkshire Water, said: “I think they got a lot out of it and learnt about the technicalities of bringing drinking water to Whitby, the processes the water has to go through and also why there have been some issues regarding taste and odour.” > Mr Simister said the councillors had seen the reports in the Whitby Gazette but did not necessarily believe the reasons that Yorkshire Water has given. > He said they had been shown practical demonstrations using washing machines and were also given a test-tube containing phenols – the chemicals Yorkshire Water say are to blame for the antiseptic smell and taste of the water. > The explanations given by the company appear to have been accepted by the town councillors. > Coun Jackie Daniels said: "I thought it was a very good meeting. They gave a good presentation with no flannelling and we were impressed. I think we came away with a good feeling that they are doing their best. > “There did not seem to be any scepticism from the ones that went. I think people did accept what they said because they did explain it very, very well.” > Her husband, Coun Stacey Daniels, agreed. > “I thought the explanation was quite reasonable,” he said. > And Mr Simister hoped that the tour and explanation had restored some of the town council’s faith in Yorkshire Water. > But Scarborough borough councillor Joe Plant is reserving judgement. > He said that he too has unpleasant tasting water but was given two of the non-return valves and will give his verdict after he has fitted them to his appliances. > He said: “I’m not totally convinced but it was a good presentation, they put it across well and whether we can prove them wrong I don’t know.” > Since the article in the Whitby Gazette Yorkshire Water say they have had 250 requests for non-return valves and that in all the households apart from five the problem appears to have been solved. > A spokesman for the company said: “From our point of view it is really good news as when we first came out with the statement (about non-return valves on washing machines] nobody believed us but when the story went out in the Whitby Gazette we had 250 requests for valves and in all but five cases they have worked.” > Anyone wanting to contact Yorkshire Water to ask for a valve should telephone 08451 242424.