Strong smell and taste of chlorine in water

stevek93

Hi all,

I am in the Clonsilla area here, there is a VERY strong scent of chlorine and taste from the water. Rang irish water to see did anyone else report this problem they said no and should be fine to drink. I doubt is it is there anything I can do?

Graham

Chlorine is added to the drinking water supply to kill bacteria, it's a fairly globally accepted practice.

If there's a residual odour, fill a jug from the tap and leave it in the fridge.

amdublin

Mine tastes and smells fine...

Zaph

The smell and taste of water in D15, and other parts of Dublin I've lived in, is pretty awful. I've used bottled water since I first moved here because of it. I wish we had the same water source as my parents house, the water there is better than any bottled water.

stevek93

Graham wrote: »

Chlorine is added to the drinking water supply to kill bacteria, it's a fairly globally accepted practice.

If there's a residual odour, fill a jug from the tap and leave it in the fridge.

Accepted by who exactly? I highly doubt the public would accept chlorine tasting water, it tastes and smells afwul not to mention the huge health risk.

stevek93

Zaph wrote: »

The smell and taste of water in D15, and other parts of Dublin I've lived in, is pretty awful. I've used bottled water since I first moved here because of it. I wish we had the same water source as my parents house, the water there is better than any bottled water.

I do get the Garrick Glen spring water in Lidl 5 litres for 1.29.

JackHeuston

Have you recently moved here from somewhere else?

When I moved to Blanchardstown I noticed the difference. It leaves behind more limescale than I was used, too. It's perfectly safe to drink even though you can definitely taste the difference, but after drinking it every day you won't notice it anymore.

Putting it in the fridge, as said, helps a bit. If you really can't drink it, bottled water is an option.

stevek93

JackHeuston wrote: »

Have you recently moved here from somewhere else?

When I moved to Blanchardstown I noticed the difference. It leaves behind more limescale than I was used, too. It's perfectly safe to drink even though you can definitely taste the difference, but after drinking it every day you won't notice it anymore.

Putting it in the fridge, as said, helps a bit. If you really can't drink it, bottled water is an option.

Yes I moved about 7 months ago noticed a HUGE difference, very off putting I still dont like drinking it. Water in the old place was really pleasant to drink.

JackHeuston

Same, I moved here a year ago. I've been drinking it for a year but after I went back for a little bit to bottled mineral water, I just couldn't go back to tap water again. In Dublin city centre it's different, it doesn't smell or taste like chlorine, they probably have a different amount of it? Data should be public.

In any case, chlorine is fairly standard (and definitely required for safety reasons) in tap water in the first world so you can't really do anything about it other than changing your habits.

I also noticed that if you put it first in those sports bottles with active charcoal filters in them, when you drink it you won't taste it. I'm guessing those jugs with filters will do the same, too! Either that or bottled water, but I'd try putting in the fridge first as it's the first easy and free method.

Stoner

In D15 you are beside the treatment plant, so you have higher concentration of chemicals to make sure that further down the pipe lines there is enough to kill whatever bacteria is there.

I filter and cool mine, have a filter kettle too, otherwise there is a black scum on the tea.

JackHeuston

Stoner wrote: »

In D15 you are beside the treatment plant

Ah! That's why, good to know, thanks

stevek93

JackHeuston wrote: »

Ah! That's why, good to know, thanks

Thank Christ I am moving.

KingBrian2

Whatever you do don't contact your local anti water TD. They might show up at your door with a bucket of water.

stevek93

Stoner wrote: »

In D15 you are beside the treatment plant, so you have higher concentration of chemicals to make sure that further down the pipe lines there is enough to kill whatever bacteria is there.

I filter and cool mine, have a filter kettle too, otherwise there is a black scum on the tea.

Maybe they are just secretly feeding us the water from the National Aquatic Centre :cool:

rolion

Hi,

Sorry for the troubles...
I guess we all need something like this:



You are invited for a drink and a chat !

Arkady

If the pipes are in bad shape, and many are, they have to overdose with chlorine to make sure the water stays reasonably "safe" from bacteria until the end of the line. In effect, it means no one will be hospitalised right away due to e-coli or such like, but instead means those earlier in the line are ingesting unsafe levels of chlorine, which are certainly not good for you over time. Although you can drink most publicly supplied water in Ireland . . . I wouldn't. Bottled water in lidl and aldi is very cheap anyway.

ThisRegard

Mine is fine, no smell or poor taste, no scum or limescale issues, and nobody has ever past comment who were visiting from outside of the area.

Pat Dunne

Arkady wrote: »

If the pipes are in bad shape, and many are, they have to overdose with chlorine to make sure the water stays reasonably "safe" from bacteria until the end of the line. In effect, it means no one will be hospitalised right away due to e-coli or such like, but instead means those earlier in the line are ingesting unsafe levels of chlorine, which are certainly not good for you over time. Although you can drink most publicly supplied water in Ireland ....

What is your source for this?

Arkady

Pat Dunne wrote: »

What is your source for this?

Brother works in water maintenance section

Graham

Arkady wrote: »

Brother works in water maintenance section

Wouldn't that make it part of your brothers job to ensure chlorine levels remain within WHO/EPA guidelines?

I'd report it, shouldn't take more than a few hours to check the chlorine levels and turn off the water supply to anyone at risk.

Arkady

Graham wrote: »

Wouldn't that make it part of your brothers job to ensure chlorine levels remain within WHO/EPA guidelines?

I'd report it, shouldn't take more than a few hours to check the chlorine levels and turn off the water supply to anyone at risk.

Read the post. If the chlorine is reduced, there won't be enough residual chlorine left at the end of the line to kill of the e-coli and other bacteria etc in the mains, and management are only interested in preventing immediate and more traceable sickness due e-coli etc. and they have ways and means of dealing with people who "report" things they don't want to know about.

Graham

Arkady wrote: »

Read the post. If the chlorine is reduced, there won't be enough residual chlorine left at the end of the line to kill of the e-coli and other bacteria etc in the mains, and management are only interested in preventing immediate and more traceable sickness due e-coli etc. and they have ways and means of dealing with people who "report" things they don't want to know about.

Ahhh the conspiracy theory. Enough said. :rolleyes:

Arkady

Graham wrote: »

Ahhh the conspiracy theory. Enough said. :rolleyes:

really ? that's the best you can come up with ?, lol . . .

ThisRegard

Arkady wrote: »

Read the post. If the chlorine is reduced, there won't be enough residual chlorine left at the end of the line to kill of the e-coli and other bacteria etc in the mains, and management are only interested in preventing immediate and more traceable sickness due e-coli etc. and they have ways and means of dealing with people who "report" things they don't want to know about.

Doesn't make sense. How is the chlorine filtered out of the water?

Arkady

ThisRegard wrote: »

Doesn't make sense. How is the chlorine filtered out of the water?

Chlorine's effect is used up over time as it comes in contact with bacteria, put in too little , and there will be none left towards the end of the line to protect the water.

ThisRegard

I thought you'd need carbon filters to remove it. I don't think what you say your brother is telling is true anyway. When it comes to public health there's no sweeping whistle blowers under the carpet because generally there's no need for them.

Graham

ThisRegard wrote: »

Doesn't make sense. How is the chlorine filtered out of the water?

Some of Arkady's post is based on fact, chlorine is added to the water but it's not filtered out. It's added in such low doses that filtering is not necessary.

For normal domestic use, residual chlorine levels at the point where the consumer collects water should be between 0.2 and 0.5 mg/l. The higher level will be close to the disinfection point and the lower level at the far extremities of the supply network.

Source: World Healy Organisation.

Graham

ThisRegard wrote: »

I thought you'd need carbon filters to remove it. I don't think what you say your brother is telling is true anyway. When it comes to public health there's no sweeping whistle blowers under the carpet because generally there's no need for them.

+1

If anyone genuinely believes the chlorine levels in their drinking water supply are unsafe, it's not difficult or expensive to buy chlorine testing kits.

Arkady

ThisRegard wrote: »

I thought you'd need carbon filters to remove it. I don't think what you say your brother is telling is true anyway. When it comes to public health there's no sweeping whistle blowers under the carpet because generally there's no need for them.

My bother has no reason to lie whatsoever, he's pissed off with the water quality, standard of service being provided, and the lack of any decent management. All his complaints and efforst have fallen on deaf ears over the years, so now he couldn't care less anymore. Take it or leave, it's your problem, not mine.

Graham

Arkady wrote: »

My bother has no reason to lie whatsoever, he's pissed off with the water quality, standard of service being provided, and the lack of any decent management. All his complaints and efforst have fallen on deaf ears over the years, so now he couldn't care less anymore. Take it or leave, it's your problem, not mine.

It would what, a day to have the claims of unsafe chlorine levels independently verified. It's not something anyone could cover up.

Householders can buy and test their own water. That's not something that could be covered up.

Arkady

Graham wrote: »

It would what, a day to have the claims of unsafe chlorine levels independently verified. It's not something anyone could cover up.

Householders can buy and test their own water. That's not something that could be covered up.

The Irish water spin isn't working. If you can smell and taste the stink of chlorine as the OP can, it's an unsafe level for consuming over time. Simple as. And yet day in day out it goes on in a huge number of supplies due to the conditions of the mains and the dosing equipment.