The unpleasant odor and taste of water, that are disrupting any use in our everyday life, have as only solution the use of a water filter.
The most important role in smell and taste determined by the source of the water and the human influences on treatment methods and water transmission and distribution networks.
The conductivity of water is an indicator for the taste of water. If the values are small (<300 mg/L), the taste of the water is good. If prices are high, indicating brackish water, has 'glyph' taste.
A decisive factor in the quality of taste and odor of water, is the processing methods. For example, the use of chlorine for purification creates, during the reaction with the organic components of water such as chlorophenols, derivative compounds having some bad odors.
The presence of hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) at a concentration >0,1 mg/L in water, creates an unpleasant odor (like rotten egg).
The degradation of plant residues and the metabolic products of microorganisms are also causes changes of flavor in surface waters. The geosmin with the musty smell is a metabolic product of fungi and algae. Finally, the presence of ammonia, which is organic pollution index, gives an unpleasant taste in water.