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Why is the Water from My Faucet Brown or Cloudy?

Ashish Kumar May 14, 2015

Brown water form faucet

 

Brown Water

Two chemical elements could be the culprit of brown water – iron or manganese. If water flowing from the faucet is discolored, the household water system could either be contaminated by one or both of these elements. Probable causes of brown colored water from taps are as follows:

Rusty Pipelines. When taps produce tinted water in different shades of brown, red, yellow or orange, rusty pipelines are the culprit. Rust dissolves into water and causes tinted water. The color depends on how rusted the lines in your water system are.

Fire Department Flushing the Hydrants. If the fire or maintenance department are flushing the hydrants or refilling the water tank, sediment in the water is stirred and could cause temporary tint in the water. Discoloration should clear in few minutes.

Water Supply from Underground Well. Iron is a common element on Earth. It’s most likely to get brown water from wells occasionally. Though iron is naturally found in some foods, too much is dangerous; it could not harm you directly but still it has unpleasant effects. So it’s up to you if you want to use brown water in cooking and drinking but it’s definitely not recommended for laundry. Brown water will stain and ruin your laundry.

What to Do With Brown Water? First thing to do is identify the source of the problem. If you have rusty pipes, replace them immediately. Contact your local plumber for assistance. If the fire department is flushing hydrants, wait for a few minutes until the water clears.

Preventing Brown Water. It is wise to install either iron filter or water softener.

Cloudy Water

Air trapped in water often causes milky or cloudy water. If the water clears from bottom to top, it’s a sign of air escaping from the water. Cloudy water from taps is more common during winter for cold water traps more air. Following are some of the other culprits of cloudy water:

Aerator in Taps. If an aerator is installed on your taps, it adds air to the water and produces milky water. Wait for a while and it should clear up. Try to replace the cartridge for clearer water.

Unused Taps. Water may also appear cloudy if taps were not used for a few hours. Run the tap water for five minutes or until it clears and goes back to normal.

Water Pressure. Pressurized water in pipes could also produce milky water for it contains more air compared to unpressurised one. Once the water comes out of the tap, it’s no longer under pressure and air escapes easily. Just let the water sits until the bubbles disappear.

Is Cloudy Water Harmful to Me? Cloudy water, caused by air bubbles, is not harmful to your health.

What to do if Water doesn’t clear Up? In cases where milky water is not caused by air, pressure or cold temperature, it is best to contact an expert licensed plumber to diagnose the problem and identify the root cause so you’ll know the best actions to take.

If you need plumbing kitchen Sydney assistance, Civic has a group of neat and friendly plumbers who are expert in what they do. They deliver the service in no time and keep their customers stress-free and satisfied.


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