Go to work, don’t go to work, Zoom quizzes, and Barnard Castle: lockdown is undoubtedly a weird and discombobulating time for us all. But what’s weirder is the number of people that have noticed a big change in the taste of their tap water during lockdown.
Surely, tap water should always taste like… tap water? Well, it turns out, not necessarily. Let’s look at the science.
The reason your tap water tastes different in lockdown
Please take off your tin foil hat – there’s no conspiracy to see here. Experts have reported the change in water taste over lockdown is caused by increased water consumption now everyone is staying at home, and how this increase affects water treatment.
Firstly, some context. Before you turn on the taps to fix yourself a refreshing glass of H2O, water companies work behind the scenes to make sure your water is clean and safe to drink. This involves chlorination: a process by which chlorine is added to a water source to disinfect it and remove harmful impurities.
Now more and more of us are staying in, furloughed, or working from home, lockdown has affected this procedure as the increased demand for water supplies has skyrocketed. As a result, chlorine now has less time to dissipate when it mingles with the water in your pipes before being dispensed, so there may be a subtle or even obvious change to the taste or smell of your tap water.
Has your tap water started to taste a bit more like your local swimming pool than it should? Blame the neighbours – it’s most likely due to increased usage hampering the chlorination process.
How to get rid of the chlorine taste in tap water
Faff level – high: Wait until it dissipates
Let’s be honest, no one wants their water to taste like chlorine. If your taps aren’t performing at their best, then an easy workaround is to run some water into a clean jug and let it stand in the fridge. This will allow any residual chlorine levels to reduce, making your water taste and smell much better.
Faff level – medium/high: Use a filter jug
Alternatively, the time might be just about perfect to switch from tap water to filtered water. Filtered water, as the name suggests, filters out the chemicals associated with water treatment leaving you with better tasting and smelling water. By removing chemicals and impurities from your drinking supply, you could notice an improvement to your morning cup of coffee or even your digestion. Want to know more about the differences between filtered and tap water? Why not read our blog for more details on the battle between tap and filtered water.
Faff level – as easy as touching a button: Choose BIBO
A filter jug may scratch the surface, but they take up space and add more time to your brew making routine. You deserve better. You deserve BIBO.
The BIBO Classic is hooked up to your mains supply and provides you with instant access to filtered water – both boiling hot and freezing cold. Not only can the BIBO Classic deliver that perfect cuppa with its customizable temperature settings, but it can get rid of all toxins that have found their way into your water supply.
What’s more, it’s lockdown proof! Despite the increase in water usage now we’re all indoors, the BIBO doesn’t stop serving up filtered, clean, and tasty water time and time again.
