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Have you been surprised to discover brown water flowing from your tap? Are you wondering what could be the most common reason behind the brown tap water or discoloured water flow? The brown water from taps will surely have sent you pondering if it’s a water quality issue or if there’s something wrong with your water or plumbing pipes. Maybe you have a rusted plumbing pipe, or your rusted plumbing pipes have become a breeding ground for bacteria. You’d also wonder if others are experiencing the same problem with their water supply and flow. And now, you’re not sure if your home water supply or the drinking water you used from the tap the past few days was safe or not, and it’s just fire hydrant testing.
In Australia, the water quality is excellent across the board, with a detailed water treatment process. And even if it is brown water or another strange colour, it’s not likely dirty tap water coming out of your hot tap will do your family any severe harm and is a cause for health concern. And you’re not alone in the world who have the same issues concerning brown water and are thinking of the possible reasons and possible causes, like a rusted plumbing pipe turning the water brown or rusty water lookalike from your tap. Check out the helpful information put out by the City of Gold Coast to see if the colour or smell of your water is cause for alarm.
We’re not saying this is already what’s causing your brown water coming from your cold and hot water tap. But let’s not leave any stones unturned before considering a pipe that could be rusting and calling a licensed plumber and a plumbing service. Here are the five water quality problems you should watch for:
While brown tap water can cause an alarm and make you think about rusted pipes, brown tap water doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to make you sick. However, brown, muddy or otherwise discoloured tap water can stain your washing and make you wish for a clear glass of water soon.
It might be disturbed sediment from a burst water main or pump or due to sudden high demand. Or it could be organic matter in the mains or water pipes, rust from your old iron pipes, or manganese, a natural element that collects on the insides of your pipes.
It could be anything but cold tap-turned iced tea suddenly flowing from your tap. Your brown water could be caused by:
Sometimes, if you run that tap for a good 10-15 minutes, this process of ‘flushing’ can fix the problem of brown water. But if the problem persists and you still have brown water coming from your water mains, reach out to an expert plumber for a great service on your discoloured water.
While discoloured water coming from your kitchen or even garden tap can cause some alarm bells to ring in your head as if you’re dealing with a malfunctioning hot water system, a milky colour in your glass of drinking water is probably no great cause for alarm. Usually, you see many tiny air bubbles that make their way into your glass after becoming trapped in your pipes.
This can commonly happen after some plumbing work. Or if a tap is suddenly discharged (but be careful at sudden discharge. It can cause water hammer and it can be a big problem!) and a release of carbon dioxide occurs. But remember, it could only be fair.
Blue or bluey-green or otherwise coloured water is more alarming. Especially if that hue is also cloudy in appearance – and the taste itself can be metallic and bitter.
The metallic taste is probably copper, which has come from your corroding pipes. It’s common if the pipes haven’t been used for a long while. Be aware that copper is not safe to consume, even for the preparation of food.
But the fix can be simple; it won’t take a few hours. A 2-3 minute flush before using the taps is quite often enough to clear the copper from the water.
If your clean glass of water shows a lot of black, pepper-like specks floating around, it’s a sure sign that some of the gaskets, o-rings, and washers in your actual plumbing are starting to degrade.
It is best to assume that these bits of your plumbing system are not designed for drinking. It may not be poisonous, but it could be potentially hazardous. If the issue is a rusty pipe, this can indicate the presence of lead, which can cause several health problems.
So it’s the perfect time to call a local plumber!
If your water looks clear but tastes seriously off, there are almost certainly chemicals in your water that you don’t want to be there. We don’t recommend drinking it.
But not to cause panic, it could be that normal household chemicals have gotten into your hot water tap and cold water service lines via the backyard, causing a bad taste and sometimes even a smell as well.
If the taste is particularly musty or earthy, it could even be blue-green algae, especially if it’s a warm time of the year. Please don’t drink it to be safe, as your taste buds are an excellent detector of unhealthy things to consume!
Check with the neighbours. Ask around if they are experiencing a similar situation, whether they also have brown tap water or if theirs is crystal clear. This will help you filter the cause of your brown tap water.
If your neighbours don’t have the same issue, check your home, plumbing and taps. See if the problem is the same for every cold tap or only occurs with a particular one. If it’s the latter, you can be almost sure you have corrosion in a nearby pipe, and that’s valuable information to tell your friendly plumber.
Don’t sweat it out and wait a few hours. So often, a dirty tap water problem can clear itself up after a few hours or days. But if it persists for longer than that, it probably won’t fix itself — and it’s time to call a certified local plumber who’ll know what to do.
Our skilled plumbers at Gold Coast Plumbing Company are qualified experts in every type of household plumbing problem. Whether you have leaking pipes, a malfunctioning hot water system or a water heater, you want your hot and cold water tap changed to a mixer tap or a tap suitable for Arthritis sufferers, or you consider adding a water softener, or you want water filters installed for your water supply and other plumbing services; you can rely on our professional plumber. So, for fast response time and a 100% satisfaction guarantee, call us to fix your water quality issues.
Image source: https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/reports-of-brown-water-in-city-taps-decreasing-481660143.html
