Quality of Austin water? (Orange: safe, money, areas)

[citygal1]

Hi--I am a new addition to the city and I am wondering if it's safe to drink the tap water here. I smell some chemical in the tap water that I didn't used to in my old place. Am I being overly sensitive?

[love roses]

I thought that I heard a report that Austin has some of the cleanest water around. I heard that when that story was out about all the traces of medications in the water in many different cities.

[MJinAustin]

I'm sure it's safe to drink the tap water or we'd all be sick. The water here has something in it though that causes orange slime to build up (see your shower after a few weeks). We use a water distiller and the orange sludge is at the bottom of the distiller after each gallon. Kinda gross, but it won't kill you.

Perhaps if you're smelling chemical smells, it's something particular to your house?

[Exiled Texan]

By comparison, I've heard it doesn't taste as great. That's all I know.

[johnrex62]

Orange slime? Have never seen that in 45 years in the area. I have always had white rock (limestone buildup) on my showerheads and faucets.

The taste is very different from city to city depending on their equipment and which acquifer they tap into (there are several that have different water sources in the region).

As long as the city water system is listed as approved by the state it is safe to drink. Central Texas has always had cleaner water than most places due to the natural filtration of the limestone acquifers, but is often very hard water.

[citygal1]

Coffee and tea don't taste as well here. Because I am using the same beans and leaves, it has to be the water, I am thinking.

[justanothercalifornian]

I think it's safe to drink, but I can't stand the taste. I use a filter for that.

[killer2021]

Originally Posted by citygal1

Hi--I am a new addition to the city and I am wondering if it's safe to drink the tap water here. I smell some chemical in the tap water that I didn't used to in my old place. Am I being overly sensitive?

I would not drink or cook with any tap water. There are many chemicals in the water - fluoride and chlorine to name a few. Those chemicals won't kill you instantly but they build up in the body over time. They definitely aren't good for you so I would avoid it. I haven't drank tap water for years now.

paying 3$ for 5 gallons of drinking water is well worth the money.

[HappyTexan]

Originally Posted by citygal1

Coffee and tea don't taste as well here. Because I am using the same beans and leaves, it has to be the water, I am thinking.

I use bottled water for drinking and tea/coffee. The hard water buildup will kill your coffeemaker and kettle.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by citygal1

Hi--I am a new addition to the city and I am wondering if it's safe to drink the tap water here. I smell some chemical in the tap water that I didn't used to in my old place. Am I being overly sensitive?

In some areas the water tastes swampy so we filter it.