What do tap water quality results mean?
We've collected thousands of water quality reports and simplified them for you. In this article you will learn what the results mean and how TAPP water filters can improve water quality.
Drinking tap water
That a water is considered potable means that it meets the regulatory requirements for potability of the relevant country or region. Most governments use the WHO drinking water guidelines as a basis and add their own standards or limitations. So basically, “potable” means that the water has been tested and meets those criteria.
But it does not mean that it does not contain contaminants or can cause problems. As you will see below, your tap water may contain contaminants at levels considered safe but that could cause health problems in the long term. This issue is especially relevant for babies, children and people who suffer from some pathology. Additionally, some contaminants such as microplastics have not yet been regulated, so you may be ingesting plastic and other contaminants without knowing it. For all these reasons, using a water filter is a good idea, even if your tap water is drinkable and does not taste bad.
TAPP water filters will take your water from drinkable to super drinkable.
If the responsible public body determines that water is not drinkable, don't risk it, don't use it. If your tap water is classified as non-potable, write to us at support@tappwater.co and we will assess whether TAPP filters can make it drinkable.
There is no evidence to show that bottled water is healthier than tap water that meets WHO requirements. You will find more information in the section “Can I drink water in…?”
Flavor
The taste of water is subjective, but there are general metrics to define it. Typically, mineral-rich water (hard water) combined with chlorine tastes bad. This is a common problem in all areas of the world that have hard water.
High concentrations of metals such as iron, copper, zinc and manganese can make water taste metallic or bitter, and algae can make water smell like rotten eggs. On the other hand, for most people, very soft water (especially that filtered by reverse osmosis) tastes flat.
Finally, everyone may prefer hard or soft water, depending on where they grew up.
We use a mix of water chemical attributes and popular opinion to rank the taste of water in each ZIP code.
TAPP water filters take water from tasting bad or passable to tasting good or even great. Basically, they make it taste the way it should.
Lime and water hardness
You may often see limescale on your teapot, coffee maker, glasses, or around the tap. Generally, lime occurs when calcium and magnesium combine. Although these minerals are healthy, many people find them a nuisance.
In the report, limescale buildup is classified as low, medium, high or very high. Water companies do not specifically report limescale, so we have used the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) to calculate the probability of limescale formation.
TAPP water filters reduce limescale formation without removing the healthy minerals contained in the water.
More information on how to remove limescale.
How can a water filter help you improve the quality of your tap water?
The next section of the report focuses on how a water filter improves the drinkability of water by removing contaminants, improving taste and reducing limescale. If you want to see more detailed information, return to the report.
