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Fuel or oil

Petrol or diesel taste or smell can also be described as oil, rubber, aromatic, bituminous, tarry, tar, tarmac, turpentine, white spirit or coal.  

If there is a petrol or diesel taste or smell to the water coming from your kitchen tap, please call our friendly team on 0345 672 3723.  

  • Your private supply pipe owned by the property owner, that supplies you with water from our main, travels under your driveway or garden before entering the property. Sometimes, this can even travel down the side of your building before entering the back of the property.  

    If your property has an oil heating system, it is common for small leaks or spills from your tank to sink into the ground, and leach through plastic water pipes and into your water supply. 

    Similarly, if your driveway has an oil or fuel spill stain on it, regardless of how old it is, it is likely that this oil has sunk into the ground and started leaching into plastic water pipes and into your water supply.  

  • If you experience this issue, please check if any of the following common causes apply to you: 

    • If you have had any work done in your home (for example, on the heating system) 
    • If you have any oil fired heating/storage tanks  
    • If you have had any historic oil or fuel leaks (for example, a car or motorbike leaking oil or fuel on your driveway)

  • Do not drink the water or use it for cooking purposes until we have tested your water supply and confirmed that there are no issues, please call our support team on 0345 672 3723.  

    To reduce the chances of petrol or diesel issues, please store fuel safely. Keep petrol or fuel oil away from water pipes and consider using protective measures like ‘bunds’ or specialist pipes known as ‘barrier pipe’. 

    Please clean up any fuel or oil spillages promptly to reduce the chance of it moving through the ground.

     

Chemical

Sometimes your water may have a ‘chemical’ or ‘medicinal' taste to it – click below to find out why.

Metallic or bitter

There are a few reasons why your water may have a ‘metallic’ or ‘bitter’ taste to it – find out what to check if this is the case.

Chlorine

Find out what may be causing your water to smell like swimming pool water.

Earthy or musty

If your water appears to have an earthy or musty taste, click here to find out more.

Eggy or sewage

If your water appears to smell eggy or of sewage, click here to find out what might be happening.

My water has changed

If your water has 'changed', find out why this has happened and what you can do to resolve it.

My water looks different

If your water appears discoloured, cloudy or has bits in it, click here to see what could be causing this.