Strange tasting water from water dispenser/ cooler?

Question

I used a water dispenser/cooler at work. The water cooler is stored in room that has a horrible musty stale smell. The water from the dispenser is always ice cold, but ive noticed the the water taste kind of strange, a sour, almost stale taste.

The water dispenser sucks in air every time its used, is it possible that "dirty" air is getting into the water??

Or could the water be stale, it seems as if the dispernser is always switched on, so the water is kept cool. Im not sure how regularly the water is changed. How frequently would the water have to be changed to keep it fresh?

I havent had any illnesses but the thought really grosses me out!

Hope you can help, im really curious.

Answer 1

OMG!!!!    There is probably MOLD in the system! At my last job...when we "switched" the bottled water...there was green  algaeand BLACK mold in the system.    Don't drink it...and get the company to come to switch the WHOLE thing...the clean-up job our water company tried didn't WORK!   Good luck and God bless!

Answer 2

I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.  Probably not cleaned properly.  Yuk.

Answer 3

Your company should be getting the machine cleaned out regularly by the water company. If they dont it could be limescale and bacteria building up in the machine.  If water sits in the machine it may become stagnant.  Ask them to get it cleaned out.