What’s Causing Your Tap Water To Turn Brown?

Have you ever noticed your water going from clear and clean to murky and dirty overnight? Are you facing discolored water flowing through your taps? If you are experiencing discoloration in your water then it’s important that you learn the cause of this issue as soon as possible.

There are many reasons why your water may have turned brown. Water changes color when an increased number of minerals, sediment, and rust particles have accumulated in the water’s pipes. Many people have experienced brown tap water, and although this is an inconvenience and can be damaging to clothes and fixtures, it is not a serious health concern. However, we don’t recommend that you drink any brown water as it can have a detrimental effect on your health.

It can be alarming to experience brown water in your toilet and sink, but it’s a very common issue. In this blog post, we will talk about some of the common causes of brown water.

The Pressure Has Changed

When there is routine maintenance being done like cleaning the city’s water lines or changing the pressure of the water flowing through the lines, it can stir up rust, dirt, and other sediments inside the water lines. These types of maintenance can result in brown water as the water gets mixed with dust and rust particles in the water lines.

So, If your water suddenly changes from clear to murky on the same day and all of the faucets at your home have discolored water coming out of them, then the problem is most likely due to a pressure change in your city’s water lines.

In these types of situations don’t use warm water so that the rusty water does not go to your water geyser. When the cause of brown water in your pipes is caused by a pressure change in your city’s water line it usually clears up in a couple of hours.

Your Water Lines Are Corroding

Another common reason for brown water can be the corrosion of your house’s water lines. Homes that were built before 1960 have steel water lines. As these steel water lines age, they collect rusty sediment that comes out of the tap so when you turn it on you get brown water. If the discolored water is only coming out of one or several faucets (but not all of them), or if your water is discolored every morning but runs clear once you’ve had the tap running for a few minutes, chances are that the problem is with the water lines in your home.

To fix this problem you will need to call a professional plumber who can change the corroded taps in your home.

The Filtration Isn’t Working

Sometimes your water may appear discolored due to your edge filtration not working properly. However, although this is rare in big cities, it can still happen in small towns. This happens when the water filtration equipment is not designed to handle the correct volume of water or the equipment is in need of repair. If you’re facing a similar issue you can call a plumber to fix your filtration equipment.

Surge In Water Flow

When there is a surge in the demand for water, a lot of water flows from the water lines. Water pipes have a layer of dust, rust, and other sediments. When there is a surge in water flow the freshwater can mix with these dust particles and cause the water to discolor. It will take several days for the water to return to its original condition.

About Jack’d Up Plumbing

Jack’d Up Plumbing is a fast and affordable plumbing service company in Calgary. We offer affordable and professional plumbing services in Calgary and surrounding areas. We specialize in drain cleaning and other plumbing-related services such as water and gas leak repair, bathroom and kitchen plumbing repairs and installations, water heater and furnace repair/installs, and more. Contact us here for more information.