Unusual taste: If your water has a fishy, oily, bitter, or metallic taste, it may be time for you to buy a filter.
Chlorine smell: If your water smells like a swimming pool, you may want to consider investing in a water filter. Chlorine is added to public water to remove bacteria, but it can make beverages unappetizing.
Sulfur smell: Sulfur is a naturally occurring mineral that smells like rotten eggs and is prevalent in some water systems but isn’t typically harmful. As with chlorine, the sulfur smell can be eliminated with a filter.
Lower than usual water pressure: If your kitchen faucet seems to be running slower than usual, you could have clogged pipes. This can happen when the pipes become corroded and then fill up with sediment and scale. If sediment is clogging your pipes, getting a water filter to avoid the remnants in your drinking water is a good idea.
Cloudy or foamy water: Many water systems do not filter out minerals from drinking water and these harmless compounds can give water a cloudy or foamy appearance. If this does not disappear after letting the water settle for a minute or so, it could be caused by bacteria. In this case, you should have your water tested and invest in a filter.
Dirt and sediment:If you run your faucet and see dirt or sediment coming out, it is time to install a filter.