Brisbane Water Rivals Adelaide's for Foul Taste
Perth and Adelaide's drinking water is often referred to as unpalatable or even rancid by the more spoilt areas of Australia that are treated to ‘soft’ drinking water. However, even the more hardened water connoisseurs unanimously agree that Brisbane's water is disagreeable to a sensitive palate.
Overall, it's agreed that Brisbane's drinking water is not the jewel of Queensland. With an often chemically inspired aftertaste and occasionally metallic and earthy undertones, there will be no IXOM ‘Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia’ awards for Brisbane in the near future!
But are we all just a little sensitive, or is there a dangerous or damaging element to the distaste for Brisbane's tap water?
Why Does Brisbane’s Water Taste So Bad?
There are four current suppliers for Brisbane's tap water, and the filtration methods range from fresh, to recycled, to desalination. Each method can service different areas or assist in drought or if one method becomes temporarily untenable. The different methods can introduce different flavours, but one element remains the same.
Over the board, Brisbane's water is considered ‘hard’ water. Hard water is classified or rated by the amount of minerals, mainly calcium and magnesium, that are in the water. Measured in ‘the number of Total Dissolved Solids’ or (TDS), to gain a hard classification, there must be more than 60mg/L of dissolved minerals in a litre of water tested.
The disappointing news for Brisbane homeowners is that it is more often than not over 60mg/L, and some homes have ‘elevated hardness,’ meaning that they are regularly 200mg/L or higher.
Protect Against Hard Water Damage in Brisbane.
While purchasing a water filter installation in Brisbane may stop tap water from tasting like a year 8 crystal growing experiment, the experience for your pipes and hot water system is not alleviated.
Hard water is known for not only tasting like you just licked a 100-year-old spoon but also having physical and visible effects.
1. Limescale deposits in your pipes
2. White film in your kettle
3. Spots and build-up in your taps
4. Making your shower head unpredictably multidirectional or blocked
5. Towels resemble sandpaper
6. Dry skin and dull, dry hair
7. Funky-smelling laundry
Any home appliance that uses or creates heat can also be damaged, such as kettles, coffee machines, hot water systems, washing machines, spas, and household pipes.
Living in a ‘hard water’ home affects more than just your drinking water. Neglecting hot water system servicing and maintaining your hot water system when you reside in a ‘hard’ to ‘elevated hard’ area can be an expensive oversight, as can ignoring water flow and blockage issues, which can be the first signs of limescale buildup in pipes. Preventative maintenance is the smart, hard water choice.