The aesthetic objective for sulfate in drinking water is 500 mg/L. At levels above this concentration, sulfate can have a laxative effect, however, regular users adapt to high levels of sulfate in drinking water and problems are usually only experienced by visitors and new consumers. The presence of sulfate in drinking water above 150 mg/L may result in noticeable taste. The taste threshold concentration, however, depends on the associated metals present in the water. High levels of sulfate may be associated with calcium, which is a major component of scale in boilers and heat exchangers. In addition, sulfate can be converted into sulfide by some anaerobic bacteria creating odour problems and potentially greatly accelerating corrosion.
