Our tap water supply (Severn Trent) has recently started to smell like a local swimming pool, it has a noticeable wiff of chlorine?

never noticed it before, is it still safe to drink?

Yes ours in Hove always smells like that we have to filter it to make tea or it’s like drinking a swimming pool

You are going to die

Bristol water has stunk like that for years (though seems to have improved recently).

If you leave a glass of water out for a while, the chlorine will evaporate and it’ll start to taste a bit better.

campden tablets

The chlorine only smells if ‘something has fallen in’ – though it will probably safe to drink.

If you put a jug of it in the fridge for a while the smell should go.

we get that after a period of heavy rain. The filtering station is probably compensating for the gunge from the fields and forest being washed into the reservoir which is in the middle of a forest, or was until the trees were felled 🙄

put your postcode in here

http://www.stwater.co.uk/server.php?show=nav.5635

or read the relevant report here

http://dwi.defra.gov.uk/about/annual-report/2010/index.htm

Water companies chlorinate tap water when they can’t guarantee the safety of the water through filtration, such as in times of flooding or in a filtration failure situation. Came up the other day in a lecture from a guy from the health protection agency.

I work for a large regulated water company, all water compaies chlorinate their supply all of the time. They will over chlorinate if issues arise such as supply pipework compromise, problems with the chlorination unit and issues with the source of the water i.e. borehole or reservoir.

It’s nothing to worry about, the dosage is of a safe level. Just does not tase very good.

if you are not happy with the taste write to the company expressing dissatisfaction with the taste/ odour, they have to provide a substantive written response which should state why the level of chlorination has changed

phone in and you will get pointed to the website

if you are not happy with the taste write to the company expressing dissatisfaction with the taste/ odour, they have to provide a substantive written response which should state why the level of chlorination has changed

phone in and you will get pointed to the website

I did not think to go that far with it, but now you mentioned it, I am quite tempted, just to see what sort of reply I get 😉

Saying that, it seems much better today, [swigging down a pint of water as I type]