Borates - Does this impact the taste of the water?

[UnderWaterVanya]

I read in another thread about a user who just finished adding borates to his pool using 20 mule team and MA. He mentioned the water was nasty tasting after this - is this a temporary effect or a permanent one? I realize drinking pool water is not appropriate - but I want to know how it will taste with incidental contact. My kids have complained about some other pools and like the fact ours is very neutral tasting and doesn't make them want to hurl.

 

[chem geek]

Everyone's taste is a little different. I don't notice a problem in my pool that has borates, but why don't you take 2 gallons of pool water in a large bucket and add 2/3rds of a teaspoon of 20 Mule Team Borax plus 1/3rd of a teaspoon of Muriatic Acid (or 1/3rd teaspoon of dry acid) OR 1/2 teaspoon of boric acid. Then you and the kids can compare the water in that bucket with water directly from the pool.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Great idea! Double blind test of course!

 

[chiefwej]

Yep, at 50 ppm I've found that 20 Mule Team Borax did add a bit of a bitter taste to the water. But then I don't drink a lot of water from the pool.