Noticed Brisbane's tap water tastes funny? You're not imagining it, but it's still totally safe to drink
Dec 2 2025
ABC News
a close-up of a person holding a glass under a running tap, filling it with water
Locals and tourists visiting Brisbane may have noticed the city's tap water has an unusual taste, but authorities have confirmed it's safe to drink.
In short:
A strange taste to Brisbane's tap water is due to a harmless organic compound.
The compound often appears after heavy rain and hot weather.
What's next?
Seqwater is working to distil the taste of the water and residents should notice a difference by the weekend.
A strange taste and smell to south-east Queensland's tap water is harmless and should begin to disappear by the weekend, the region's main water supplier says.
People in parts of Brisbane, Ipswich and Logan may have noticed an earthy, grassy or musty taste and smell to their tap water this week.
Seqwater's Matthew McCahon said the taste is due to naturally occurring organic compounds that appeared after recent heavy rain.
"It's a perfect storm of really hot weather, rainy weather, lots of nutrients and lots of sunlight that have created this," he said.
Compounds aren't toxic
The compounds are non-toxic and get filtered out through the water treatment process but can leave behind an odd taste.
The worst of the taste is expected to disappear in the coming days.
"It's really important to understand the water is safe to drink.
"We are seeing significant improvements in the water production from the start of this week and people should start noticing a difference in taste this weekend," McCahon said.
Seqwater said recent weather has impacted the taste of Brisbane's drinking water.
Seqwater is working to move large amount of water around the south-east's water grid to help distil the compound and improve the taste of the water.
Parts of southern Brisbane, Logan and Ipswich are likely to feel the effects the longest because of how close they are to Mount Crosby water treatment plant, where much of the affected water is processed.
Monitoring of the water catchment and the treatment process has also been increased, Seqwater said.
Reports of gastrointestinal issues 'unrelated'
While some have taken to social media to complain of gastrointestinal issues after drinking tap water, Mr McCahon said that was not caused by the compounds in the water.
"Those medical symptoms are unrelated to the water. The compounds are non-toxic and are not harmful to humans," he said.
"Those people should seek the guidance of a healthcare professional or call 13 HEALTH."
Matthew McCahon stressed the city's tap water is safe to drink, despite the odd taste.
The taste of the water can be improved by chilling it in the fridge or by adding some fruit to it, Mr McCahon said.
A carbon-based water filter can also help as it will remove elements of the compound.
Mr McCahon said it's the fourth year in a row they've dealt with the issue.
A water bottle being filled up at a tap
The taste of the water can be improved by chilling it in the fridge or by adding some fruit to it.
"We see this seasonally. It happens in short bursts and at a varying level of intensity," he said.
"This year's been particularly intense."
The recent heavy rainfall has pushed many of the region's dams to their limits.
Controlled flood releases are set to begin from Somerset Dam and Wivenhoe Dam on Thursday afternoon and continue for the next few days.
Twin Bridges and Savage's Crossing near Fernvale and College's Crossing near Ipswich will be closed for several days due to the releases.
Forum
Pages: 1
Brisbane's Tap Water Tastes Funny (Read 125 times)
