Color, Taste, and Odor

Why So Many Americans Don’t Trust Their Tap Water

For most people, water quality isn’t judged by a lab report.

It’s judged in a glass.

How it tastes.

How it smells.

How it looks when the light hits it.

And across the U.S., those sensory cues are quietly driving one of the biggest shifts in water behavior we’ve ever seen.

Taste Is Now the #1 Tap Water Concern

Taste has overtaken every other water concern — including contamination — as the primary reason Americans question their tap water.

47% of Americans now say taste is their number one concern about tap water.

That concern translates directly into behavior:

• 26% don’t think their tap water tastes good

• 36% say they actively dislike the taste

• 72% cite taste as a reason they drink bottled water at home

• 31% say “tap water does not taste good” is why they buy bottled water
  
  

The preference gap has widened dramatically.

58% of Americans say bottled water tastes better than tap water, up from 45% in 2014.

Taste isn’t subtle — it’s decisive.

Why Tap Water Tastes “Off”

The most common taste complaint isn’t mysterious or rare.

It’s chlorine.

Chlorine can be detected by most people at ~1 part per million (PPM) — and municipal systems typically maintain 0.5–2.0 PPM to meet disinfection requirements.

That means:

• Water can be fully compliant

• Water can be safe to drink

• And still taste like a swimming pool
  
  
  

Other common taste contributors include:

• Mineral imbalance (hardness)

• Old plumbing materials

• Organic compounds reacting with disinfectants

• Seasonal changes in source water
  
  

None of these necessarily indicate unsafe water — but they strongly influence whether people drink it.

Odor: When Water Smells Before It’s Sipped

Smell often triggers distrust even faster than taste.

22% of Americans report unpleasant odor as a concern about their tap water, with chlorine again leading the list.

The human nose is extremely sensitive:

• Chlorine odor is noticeable at ~1 PPM

• Hydrogen sulfide causes “rotten egg” smells

• Organic material can produce musty or earthy odors

• Chemical or medicinal smells are frequently reported
  
  
  

Among bottled water buyers:

• 16% cite bad odor as a reason for switching

• 10% say odor is the main reason they avoid tap water altogether

Once water smells “wrong,” reassurance becomes difficult — even if safety standards are met.

Color and Clarity: Seeing Is Believing

Water doesn’t need to be unsafe to look untrustworthy.

21% of Americans cite color or cloudiness as a concern, and 8% say poor clarity alone keeps them from drinking tap water.

Common appearance complaints include:

• Brown, orange, or rust-colored water (iron, manganese, pipe disturbance)

• Yellow water after flushing or repairs

• Cloudy or milky white water (air bubbles or sediment)

• Blue or green tint (copper corrosion)

Most people find water objectionable above 15 color units, but complaints often occur at much lower levels — especially when changes happen suddenly.

In one large regional study:

• 41% of tap water samples exceeded at least one aesthetic benchmark

Even brief discoloration can permanently alter perception.

The Trust Gap: When Perception Becomes Behavior

The combined effect of taste, odor, and appearance has reshaped how Americans interact with tap water.

• 25% of Americans never drink their tap water
  → ~60 million people with access who still opt out

• 51% are concerned about unfiltered tap water quality

• 38% are concerned or very concerned about household water quality
  
  

Trust remains fragile:

• Only 20% “totally trust” their tap water

• 64% have had concerns at least occasionally

• 39% believe bottled water is safer than tap water
  
  

Customer satisfaction reflects this reality — utilities score 52 points lower (on a 1,000-point scale) among customers who never drink their tap water.

When people stop drinking their water, trust has already been lost.

Why This Isn’t Just About Preference

Aesthetic issues don’t automatically mean water is unsafe — but they change behavior in ways that matter.

When people avoid tap water:

• They often switch to bottled water

• Or sugary beverages

• Or underhydrate altogether
  
  

That creates downstream impacts on health, cost, and the environment — even when the original issue was taste or smell.

And while bottled water feels like a solution, trust in bottled water has declined 24% since 2020, pushing more households toward home filtration instead.

The Shift Toward Filtration

Americans aren’t waiting for utilities to solve perception problems.

77% of Americans now use a water filter at home, and:

• 69% believe filtration is necessary

• 53% say filtered water is the most trustworthy option
  
  

Top motivations include:

• Health benefits (42%)

• Lack of trust (37%)

• Taste dissatisfaction (36%)

This isn’t panic — it’s personalization.

How SIPP Thinks Differently About Color, Taste, and Odor

Most water systems are designed to meet health-based thresholds.

SIPP focuses on human experience.

SIPP’s Perspective

• Sensory issues are early signals, not superficial complaints

• Taste, odor, and color shape trust — even when safety isn’t compromised

• Aesthetic changes often indicate:

  • Plumbing interaction

  • Disinfectant dynamics

  • Seasonal source shifts

  • Pressure or flow disturbances

• Water people won’t drink is water that’s failing them — regardless of compliance
  
  

SIPP treats perception as data, not noise.

Because if water doesn’t look, smell, or taste right — people stop using it.

Why This Category Matters

This is the category where confidence is won or lost.

People may tolerate dry skin.

They may accept appliance wear.

They may trust lab results.

But they won’t drink water they don’t like.

With nearly half of Americans ranking taste as their top concern — and one in four refusing to drink tap water at all — color, taste, and odor are no longer secondary issues.

They’re the front door to trust.

The real question isn’t:

Is my water technically acceptable?

It’s:

Do I trust what’s coming out of my tap — every day?

Learn More About Your Water

Understanding taste, odor, and appearance helps explain why water feels wrong — not just whether it passes standards.

Explore related articles or start with a water assessment to better understand what your water is telling you.