The color of your water is not always a good indicator of its quality. Tap water can come in many colors and it might be hard to know what the problem is just by looking at it. The most common cause for discolored wastewater is an iron oxide or rust, which comes from old pipes and plumbing fixtures. Other causes include algae that have settled on the bottom of storage tanks and even insects such as mosquitoes that have died in the tank! Explore 6 main reasons why your tap water might be discolored and what to do to fix this problem!
1) Dirty Water
One of the most common reasons for discolored water is dirt and debris that has gotten into your pipes and storage tanks. This can be caused by a variety of things including development in the area, natural disasters such as flooding, or even just aging infrastructure. A good way to get rid of this type of problem is to buy the best system for your home for water filtration. Water filtration is important because it can remove dirt and debris, but it can also help with most other water problems.
2) Old Pipes & Fixtures
Another most common reason is old pipes and fixtures that contain rust or iron oxide (or even manganese). These metals are dissolved in the water when it flows through old pipes. The longer these types of metals are allowed to flow through your pipes the more concentrated they become. Iron and manganese can cause your water to turn red, brown, or even black in color depending on the amount of contamination in it. This is why it’s important to have your water tested once a year, but also check for any leaks that might be causing rust or other metals to end up in the tank!
3) Polluted Water
A dirty water problem can be caused by something as simple as polluted water. It is possible that your area or neighborhood has illegal dumping in the area, or even in someone’s backyard. This means there could be chemical pollutants in your water that will color it black, red, brown, yellow, orange… you name it! A way to find out if this is the case is to check your water for any odors. If you notice an unpleasant smell then it could be polluted with chemicals that are giving it a strange color, thus affecting its taste.
4) Algae or Muck on the Bottom of Your Tank
Discolored tap water might also happen because there was either too much algae or muck on the bottom of your storage tank. This can affect your water’s taste and odor because the bacteria in it might be giving off a strange smell or affecting their taste. It is important to have your water tested every so often for this reason, but also to know what kind of chemicals you need to use to kill any algae or muck that thrives in the dark tanks. You also have to find out what caused the algae to grow in the first place and why they settled on the bottom of your tank!
5) Insects or Bugs in Your Tank
Discolored water can also happen because of insects such as mosquitoes that have died and clogged up your storage tanks. The dead bugs, larvae, or even eggs will break open when you flush your toilet or turn on the tap so you might notice its presence more often than not. To find out if your water is discolored because of bugs or their larvae, check the bottom of your tank. If there are any dead insects, larvae, or even eggs you should call a plumber immediately to fix the problem before it gets worse!
6) Water Distribution Center
Discolored tap water might be caused by your water distribution center. This is usually not a problem for homeowners, but it’s still good to know what the cause of the discoloration is in case there is an emergency or anything else that would require you to stay informed about your water! A water distribution center will usually shut off the flow of water if there is a problem or any kind of breakage in the pipes. This causes the storage tanks to sit idle for a period of time which could be why your water has an odd color because it’s been sitting still for too long! If you have yellow water because of this just let it run for a bit and it should be back to normal in no time!
It’s not always easy to tell what the source of discoloration in tap water is. You may have old pipes or there’s just a small problem with a water distribution center. Whatever the reason is, you should install a water filtration system because the taste and the smell of your tap water will be affected, too. Hopefully, this article helped you understand some most common reasons why tap water changes color.
