** The water tasted funny. GE says it is my copper pipe that runs the water to the fridge and needs to be replaced. **

Is its water supply filtered by a RO filtration system before being connected to the fridge?

** the water filter cartridge is filled with black and green specks. **

Have you replaced it?

- GE PFSS2MJY Water Filter

LINK > www.appliance411.com/data.php?ap=AP3859302

** do I really need to change the piping **

I would suggest replacing the filter first... unless the fridge's water supply is also filtered by a RO system in which case plastic tubing must be used, not copper.

** or could it be the water filter

breaking down. **

That might be a possibility. Maybe part of the water system just had misc debris left over from the assembly process? Maybe its water supply was a problem... temporarily and the filter caught it?

There's one way to see if just the filter was (or caught) the problem...

JMO

Dan O.

www.Appliance411.com/parts/?ref411=GE+Fridge

The Appliance Information Site

=D~~~~~~

Thanks, I will give the new filter a shot. Keep my fingers crossed, and will update this post in a month or two letting you know how it went. Thanks.