Discoloured Water—Is This A Plumbing Emergency?
Posted on: 4 December 2017
Having discoloured water running from your taps can be quite off-putting. If this is accompanied by a stench, you may find it challenging to use your running water for any household applications. Fortunately, not all discolouration immediately translates into contaminated water. Discerning the different signs can enable you to diagnose the problem and seek the best course of action to restore your water supply. So what are some of the different colours your water can turn, and do they constitute a plumbing emergency?
Reddish-brown water
If your water has a red or brown tinge to it, the most likely culprit is rust. Check the various taps in your home to determine which are affected by this discolouration, as it typically indicates that there is corrosion occurring at some point in your plumbing pipes. Rust-coloured water may not pose an immediate health concern, but it does bring about the risk of severe staining to your laundry, porcelain sinks, ceramic tubs and more. Moreover, once you develop rust-coloured water in your home, chances are the problem will only become worse as the corrosion becomes exacerbated. It would be advisable to call a plumber to try and determine the point of origin and possibly partially or fully replace your piping.
Bluish-green water
A bluish-greenish tinge to your water could mean a couple of things. Firstly, compromised copper plumbing could cause the discolouration. If your plumbing system is old and made of copper, the material could start to slough off due to ageing. Since this translates into copper debris floating through your water, it would be a health risk, and you should have a plumber from a company like Sam's Local Plumbing replace your pipes. The second reason why your water may turn bluish-green is if you have algae growing in your water supply. As this organic matter keeps growing, the water will eventually become unpalatable. Not to mention that it could also develop a foul smell. It would be prudent to determine where your supply has been compromised to allow these organisms to grow in the water.
Milky water
If your water has a milky appearance, excessive air bubbles could be the cause. Nonetheless, this should clear away in a few minutes. A permanent cloudy appearance could mean that your supply comprises hard water. A simple fix for this would be incorporating water softeners to eliminate the discolouration. In extreme cases, cloudy water could indicate that sewage has made its way into your supply. In this situation, you will also find the water has a noxious smell. Desist using the water until a plumber has established the source and flushed your water supply.
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