Taste
Cities measured
87
Detected in
25 / 87
Highest
2 TON — Karachi
Overview
Taste is a composite of mineral content, chlorine residual, dissolved gases, temperature, and trace contaminants. Stockholm water is noted for its clean, slightly soft character reflecting low mineral content and granite bedrock geology.
Health Relevance
No direct health effect from acceptable taste variation. Unacceptable taste drives consumers to bottled alternatives, increasing plastic use and CO₂ emissions from packaging and transport.
Regulatory Limits
Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184
Acceptable to consumers; no abnormal change.
Controversy & Contested Science
Blind taste tests consistently show many consumers cannot distinguish high-quality tap water from premium bottled water. A 2010 Thames Water blind test found 60% of participants preferred London tap water over three premium brands. Yet the global bottled water market exceeds $300 billion annually. The perception gap — between actual water quality and consumer trust — has been deliberately cultivated by mineral water marketing since the 1970s, with campaigns explicitly warning consumers about tap water 'chemicals' that are either absent or present at safe levels.