Today's question: Why do the ice cubes from my freezer used to cool my water make the water taste funny?

"Plain Talk" answer: This is a common complaint that has no single, simple explanation. Many items in a refrigerator and freezer can give off odors that are absorbed by the ice. Freezers usually contain packaging materials, food, and metal or plastic ice cube trays. If you have an automatic ice-maker, harmless bacteria can grow in the water feed line and cause odors. Smelly substances in use near a freezer may be absorbed into the ice. "Freezer smell" can sometimes be noticed in empty metal ice cube trays. Though annoying, these "off flavors" are not harmful and can sometimes be lessened by cleaning and defrosting your freezer and ice cube trays more often. To help prevent odors in the freezer altogether, put an open box of an odor absorbent, such as sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), in the freezer and refrigerator units.

For more information on this and many other water-related topics, check out "Plain Talk About Drinking Water" by Dr. James M. Symons.