Home / Common plumbing problems / Metallic taste
Plumbing problem
Why does my water taste metallic?
The short answer
EPA links a metallic taste to copper, iron, manganese, zinc, low pH, and corrosive water under its secondary standards (EPA). Lead is the exception that matters: EPA says you cannot see, taste, or smell lead dissolved in water, and testing is the only sure way to know whether it is there (EPA). A metallic taste, or the lack of one, says nothing about lead.
What people usually report
A penny-like or bitter taste, often strongest in the first glass of the morning or after the water has sat in the pipes. Some people also see blue-green stains in sinks and tubs, or reddish-orange stains, and wonder whether the two are connected.
What official sources say the causes can include
| Item | Secondary standard | Effects EPA lists above it |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | 1.0 mg/L | metallic taste; blue-green staining |
| Iron | 0.3 mg/L | rusty color; sediment; metallic taste; reddish or orange staining |
| Manganese | 0.05 mg/L | black to brown color; black staining; bitter metallic taste |
| Zinc | 5 mg/L | metallic taste |
| pH | 6.5 to 8.5 | low pH: bitter metallic taste; corrosion |
| Corrosivity | non-corrosive | metallic taste; corroded pipes and fixtures; staining |
Source: U.S. EPA. EPA does not enforce secondary standards; they cover taste, odor, and appearance.
Corrosion can also be a side effect of other water conditions. Penn State Extension notes that hydrogen sulfide, the rotten egg gas, can corrode metals in a plumbing system (Penn State Extension).
Lead: why taste is not a test
EPA says lead pipes are more likely in older cities and in homes built before 1986, and that where a lead service line connects the home to the water main, it is typically the most significant source of lead in the water. A lab test costs $20 to $100, and EPA says certified labs are listed by your state or local drinking water authority (U.S. EPA).
How to find out
- On public water: read your utility’s Consumer Confidence Report. EPA requires community water systems to send one to customers every year by July 1, and you can look yours up with EPA’s CCR search tool or call the utility (U.S. EPA).
- For a lab test: EPA links each state’s drinking water laboratory certification program, which lists certified labs you can pay to test a sample (U.S. EPA).
- On a private well: EPA and CDC both say to test at least once a year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids, and pH, and to test again after any change in taste, odor, or color (U.S. EPA; CDC). EPA does not regulate private wells; your state or local health department can help.
Ask the lab about copper, iron, manganese, zinc, and pH along with lead, so one sample covers the items EPA links to a metallic taste. If testing points to corroding pipes, see what a repipe costs.
Affiliate links
Try this while you wait: screening tools
A home kit or gauge can tell you whether something is worth a closer look. It is a screening tool only. It does not replace a test from a state-certified laboratory or an inspection by a licensed plumber.
- Lead in water test kits on Amazon →A home screen only. EPA says testing is the only sure way to know about lead, and a certified lab gives you a number.
- Copper water test strips on Amazon →Screens for copper, which EPA links to a metallic taste.
- pH test strips for water on Amazon →Low pH is on EPA’s list of metallic-taste causes.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Buying through these links never changes your price. We have not tested these products, and the links open an Amazon search, not a single recommended item.
Local help
Who to contact
If you are on a public water system, your water utility is the first call for anything that affects the water itself. Its phone number is on your bill and in its annual water quality report.
For work on the pipes and fixtures inside your home, hire a licensed plumber and confirm the license before work starts. Our guide to choosing a plumber covers what to ask. License lookups for the areas our city pages cover:
- FL: Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR)
- IA: Iowa Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board (PMSB), administered by Iowa DIAL
- MO: Kansas City, MO City Planning & Development (plumbing license, city-issued)
- NE: City of Omaha Building and Development Division (plumbing license, city-issued; Nebraska has no statewide plumbing board)
- NV: Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB), Classification C (plumbing)
- OK: Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (CIB)
- TX: Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE)
Elsewhere, search your state’s plumbing or contractor licensing board. Some cities issue plumbing licenses themselves.
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Common questions
Metallic taste questions
Does a metallic taste mean there is lead in my water?
Taste cannot tell you either way. EPA says you cannot see, taste, or smell lead dissolved in water, and that testing is the only sure way to know whether there are harmful amounts. EPA puts the cost of a lab test at $20 to $100 and says lists of certified labs are available from your state or local drinking water authority.
Why does my water taste like pennies?
EPA’s secondary standards list a metallic taste and blue-green staining as effects of copper above 1.0 mg/L, and a metallic taste as an effect of corrosive water and of low pH. A lab test that includes copper and pH covers both.
Why do I taste metal when drinking water?
When the taste is in the water, EPA links it to copper, iron, manganese, zinc, low pH, or corrosive water under its secondary standards. Try the water in a different glass and from a different source. If the taste stays with you no matter what you drink, that is a question for a doctor rather than a plumber.
Sources and limits
- U.S. EPA, Secondary Drinking Water Standards: Guidance for Nuisance Chemicals. Checked 2026-10-05.
- U.S. EPA, Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water. Checked 2026-10-05.
- Penn State Extension, Hydrogen Sulfide (Rotten Egg Odor) in Water Wells. Checked 2026-10-05.
- U.S. EPA, Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) information for consumers. Checked 2026-10-05.
- U.S. EPA, Find your local Consumer Confidence Report (search tool). Checked 2026-10-05.
- U.S. EPA, Certification programs and certified laboratories for drinking water, by state. Checked 2026-10-05.
- U.S. EPA, Private Drinking Water Wells: Protect Your Home's Water. Checked 2026-10-05.
- CDC, Guidelines for Testing Well Water. Checked 2026-10-05.
This page summarizes guidance published by the agencies and organizations listed above. It is general information, not a diagnosis of your home or your water. Guidance can change, so check the linked source, your water utility, or your local health department before acting on it. PlumbingRepairCost is not affiliated with any agency named here. Spotted an error? Email hello@plumbingrepaircost.com and we will check it against the source.