a woman washing produce in a kitchen sink area

The Cleanest Tap Water in the US is the One You Filter

Patti Sanchez

The spots on your glasses, the dry skin after a shower, the odd taste in your drinking water. Your tap water is talking. Are you listening to it?

Even the cleanest tap water can be filled with uncertainty when it comes to contaminants. And what the CDC deems safe, the Environmental Workers Group (EWG) considers questionable.

If you're worried or curious about the quality of water in your home, keep reading to learn the signs of specific water issues and what systems filter out the problem.

Water Quality Affects More Than Just Taste

a woman out of focus holding up an in-focus glass of water

Poor water quality isn’t something to be ignored. Contaminants make you question the safety of every sip. And for good reason.

Potential Health Concerns from Unfiltered Tap Water

Digestive issues: stomach upset, diarrhea, or nausea from bacteria, parasites, or chemical contaminants
Skin irritation: dryness, itchiness, or rashes caused by chlorine, heavy metals, or hard minerals in bath/shower water
Respiratory effects: irritation from inhaling chlorine vapors or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during hot showers
Long-term toxin exposure: buildup of contaminants like lead, arsenic, or PFAS that may impact overall health
Reproductive and developmental risks: some contaminants (like lead or nitrates) can impact pregnancy and child development
Hair damage: hard water and chlorine can cause brittle, dull, or thinning hair over time
Potential organ stress: kidneys and liver work harder to process contaminants, which may strain these organs long-term

The CDC also highlights how water quality directly affects wellbeing. Addressing it isn’t just about comfort. It’s about protecting your family and your home. Now, let’s walk through some common tap water issues.

Cloudy Glasses, Chalky Build-Up, and Stiff Laundry

a shower head and shower pipe fixture covered in hard water limescale

You pour a glass of water and it comes out cloudy. You pull clothes from the wash and they feel stiff and scratchy. Soap scum creeps back on your sinks and faucets no matter how often you clean them. These are unmistakable signs of hard water (water that is filled with dissolved minerals).

When you have hard water, calcium and magnesium mineral deposits settle in your pipes and appliances, leaving behind hard water build up called limescale that clogs plumbing, wears down water heaters, and makes cleaning a never-ending chore.

Hard Water Signs	Advantages of Soft Water
Cloudy hot water (but clear cold water)	Crystal-clear hot water without mineral haze
White spots on glasses and dishes	Sparkling glassware and spotless dishes with a clean, scale-free dishwasher
Faucets, shower heads, and fixtures with crusty buildup	Fixtures stay clean and free from mineral deposits
Laundry that feels rough or stiff	Laundry that feels soft and looks brighter and a washing machine free of scale
Dry skin and brittle hair	Shower water that’s kinder to skin and hair
Scale buildup in your plumbing system from dissolved minerals	Plumbing systems last longer with better water flow

The fix is simple: you need a water softener. Softeners work by reducing those excess minerals before they have the chance to settle in your pipes and appliances.

For homeowners ready to tackle hard water directly, Aquasure’s Harmony Series water softeners provide full-scale mineral removal, protecting plumbing, extending the life of appliances, and giving your home the comfort of true soft water.

For those who might have a salt ban in their area, Aquasure's Serene Salt-Free Series water conditioner tackles hard water with a different approach. Instead of removing minerals, it conditions them so they don’t stick and form limescale. That makes it a smart choice for homeowners who want protection against buildup but prefer a salt-free, low-maintenance option.

Visit Aquasure to check your zip code’s water hardness, take our interactive quiz to see which softener is right for you, and learn more about how hard water affects your home’s water quality.

That Swimming Pool Smell in Your Tap

a running kitchen faucet with dishes on the counter next to the sink basin

You turn on the faucet and a chemical smell hits you. Your shower smells like a public pool. Dinner tastes off because the water has an edge of chlorine.

The cause is municipal treatment. Cities add chlorine to disinfect water, but by the time it reaches your tap, the levels are still high enough to affect your skin, hair, and taste buds.

What to Watch Out For:

If your tap water smells like chlorine
Dry, itchy skin after showers
Brittle, dull-feeling hair
Drinking water that has a chemical taste

The solution is a whole house water filter system with NSF-certified GAC/KDF carbon-based media. These filters reduce chlorine and other treatment chemicals before they spread through your plumbing and into your glass. The result is fresher water from every faucet.

Aquasure’s Fortitude Pro Series whole house water filters are designed to remove chemicals like chlorine with a combination filtering media of:

GAC (granular activated carbon) media made from coconut shells to improve taste and remove bad odors
KDF (copper-zinc) media to target chlorine and heavy metals
Sediment pre-filter to remove larger particles before they enter your plumbing or other water treatment systems

A whole house filter with the right filtering media improves water quality throughout your entire home, not just at one tap.

Funky Smells and Cloudy, Unsettling Drinking Water

a woman looking at a murky glass of water

You fill a glass, and the water smells musty. You notice it looks hazy in the sink. Sometimes it even leaves behind a metallic taste. This is definitely not water you want to drink.

Well water and city water both carry risks. Sediment can sneak in through aging pipes. Poor treatment leaves behind trace contaminants. Either way, it makes your water unpleasant to drink.

Avoid Drinking Water That:

Smells musty or earthy
Has a metallic or bitter taste
Stains left behind in sinks or tubs
Residue or film left on glassware after washing

The solution for pristine drinking water is reverse osmosis (RO), a point of use water filter system that usually fits under your kitchen sink. RO filtration forces water through a semipermeable membrane to strip away dissolved solids and impurities. This ultrafiltration is one of the most effective filtration systems, leaving water that is truly clean for drinking.

What Reverse Osmosis Removes:

Contaminant	Why It Matters	Result After RO
Sediment & dirt	Cloudy, hazy water	Clear, fresh water
Chlorine & chemicals (PFAS, VOCs, etc.)	Unpleasant taste and odor	Clean, natural taste
Heavy metals (lead, uranium, lead, fluoride, etc.)	Health risks from plumbing or pipes	Safer drinking water
Dissolved salts & minerals	Bitter or metallic taste	Crisp, refreshing flavor
Micro-particles (such as microplastics)	Not visible but affect quality	Pure, dependable water

Aquasure’s Premier Series Reverse Osmosis Filtration Systems offers reliable RO filtration, removing a wide range of contaminants and delivering crisp, clean water for cooking and drinking.

Know What's In Your Tap Water

a woman holding a magnifying glass up to a glass of water to inspect it visualizing the importance of knowing what contaminants could be in your tap water

Cloudy glasses or a musty smell may tip you off, but only testing tells the full story. A simple water test reveals what’s actually flowing through your pipes.

Testing Matters Because:

Some contaminants don’t affect taste, smell, or color at all
Overlapping symptoms make it hard to pin down the cause
Results give you clarity so you can choose the right system confidently

Here are a few of the most common water tests and what they reveal.

Test Type	What It Detects
Hardness Test	Calcium and magnesium (scale buildup)
pH Test	Acidity or alkalinity
Chlorine Test	Residual chlorine from treatment
Heavy Metals Test	Lead, copper, arsenic, or other metals
Bacteria Test	Microbial contamination
Nitrate/Nitrite Test	Fertilizer or agricultural runoff

The EWG Tap Water Database is a great place to start. Enter your ZIP code to see reported contaminants in your area. But, it's just a snapshot. A home test kit or lab report gives you personalized results.

Decode the Clues, Take Back Control of Your Water

a mother and toddler son sitting on a grey couch, mother is holding a glass of water for her toddler to sip

The cleanest tap water in the US isn’t about where you live. It’s about how you filter. From softening away limescale, to reducing chlorine, to purifying taste, to adding the confidence of UV, the right system makes each drop safer and fresher.

Clean water doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with the signs, confirm with a test, and choose the system that fits your home.

Explore Aquasure’s water treatment solutions today.

FAQs

What are the most common water issues in homes?

Cloudy tap water, chlorine smells, metallic tastes, limescale buildup, and musty odors are common water issues. Each points to different minerals or contaminants that may require a specific type of filtration system.

Is limescale bad for you?

Limescale itself isn’t harmful to drink, but it’s tough on your home. It clogs pipes, shortens the life of appliances, and leaves stubborn buildup on faucets and showers. While it won’t make you sick, it does waste money and create headaches until you install a system designed to handle hard water.

Why is my hot water cloudy?

Hot water often looks cloudy because heating releases dissolved air from the water, creating tiny bubbles that clear after a few seconds. If the cloudiness sticks around, it may point to sediment or high mineral content stirred up in your hot water tank or plumbing. Testing confirms the cause and helps you decide if filtration or maintenance is needed.

Why does my water smell like chlorine?

Chlorine is often added to city water as a disinfectant, but too much can leave your tap water smelling and tasting unpleasant. While it does its job, it can dry out skin and make drinking water less appealing. A whole house water filter system helps reduce chlorine so your water feels and tastes better.

Why does my water taste like metal?

Metallic-tasting water is usually from minerals like iron or copper in your pipes or supply. Even trace amounts can affect taste and leave stains in sinks and tubs. A reverse osmosis system or point of use water filter system removes those contaminants, leaving water that tastes fresh and clean.

Is soft water better for your skin?

Yes. Showering with hard water strips away natural oils, leaving skin dry and hair brittle. Soft water rinses clean and gentle, helping skin stay smooth and hair healthier. Over time, the advantages of soft water add up to less irritation and a more comfortable daily routine for your family.

Is city water hard water?

Sometimes. Even treated city water can carry a high level of minerals like calcium and magnesium, depending on the region. Some of the hardest city water in the U.S. is found in Las Vegas, San Antonio, Indianapolis, Phoenix, and Minneapolis–St. Paul. If you live there, chances are your city water is extremely hard.

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