DROUGHT MAY ALTER THE TASTE OF YOUR DRINKING WATER, EXPERT SAYS

BLACKSBURG, Va., Aug. 19 -- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University issued the following news release:

Does your tap water taste strange? It may be the drought.

As rain continues to be scarce and temperatures are high in 48 percent of the continental U.S., according to Drought.gov, minerals and naturally occurring compounds can become more concentrated, which can give tap water a different taste or smell.

"Droughts affect both the quantity and quality of surface water," said Virginia Tech water quality expert Andrea Dietrich. "With less precipitation and more heat, evaporation increases and the remaining minerals become more concentrated."

That can give drinking water a salty, mineral-like, chalky, bitter, or metallic taste....