Water from natural sources can contain algae and other organic material that will make the water taste bad. Municipal systems often use chlorine to kill bacteria in the water. You can usually taste and smell the chlorine in the water when getting a drink out of a faucet. The problem is more pronounced during the summer when the water is warm enough to make the bacteria grow faster than during the cold weather. Removing the chlorine has also been shown to reduce the risk of rectal, bladder, and colon cancers.

A good water filtration system will remove the organic particulates and the chlorine.