Brown tap water is a genuine concern among many U.S. residences. Everyone is keen to know how safe their piped water is.
Brown water is typically the result of excess sediments or minerals (such as iron in water), or rust (corrosion) of the supply pipes. Contamination, pollution, water table changes or problems with your filtration system can also cause brown tap water.
This article explains what makes tap water brown and ways you can make it safe for drinking.
Causes of brown tap water
The occurrence is unpleasant but more common due to several factors. These may vary from different regions or states.
It is essential to keep an eye on your tap water to avoid incidences such as the lead crisis in Flint, Michigan, in 2016.
Subsequently, it’s critical to understand the causes of this occurrence and what you can do about it.
Here are some of the leading causes of brown water in households:
1. Aging pipes
The challenge of aging water supply pipes is inevitable.
Old supply pipes tend to break easily, causing water contamination. Similarly, they are susceptible to negative/low pressure events.
These events cause intrusion of contaminated water into supply pipes at points with faulty joint seals. Hence, water from home taps will most likely appear brown due to contact with iron and soil particles.
Consequently, the replacement of these aging pipes is expensive. For example, the U.S. is expected to spend more than $1 trillion replacing aging pipes for the coming two decades.
Now that we have discussed the various causes of discoloration of tap water, it is essential to see how to determine the exact cause of brown tap water.
2. Rust/corrosion of supply pipes
American homes built before the 1960s had galvanized steel water supply pipes, which corrode over time. This leads to the discoloring of water when you turn your faucets on.
Essentially, the materials used to make these pipes are highly susceptible to rust due to their reaction with metal and treated water.
If the brown water is observed only a few minutes after turn on your tap and clears, then the problem is with your home supply pipes.
However, if it persists, the issue is beyond your home and maybe be from the water source.
3. Contamination
Contamination may occur at the reservoirs due to high rainfall or concentration of sediments.
High amounts of sediment can cause brown, muddy, or murky looking tap water. If it smells “earthy”, then it’s probably clay and silt sediment in the water.
Similarly, a burst supply/main pipe may lead to the mixture with soil or other particles leading to brown water.
4. Change in water source
Switching to a new water source disrupts the water flow and may lead to discoloration. Similarly, a new source such as a river or a reservoir will most likely cause a change in the quality of water supplied to households.
On the other hand, the water catchment area may have become polluted, causing the browning of water.
In some extremes, transitioning to a new water source without proper upgrades and treatment may pose a health risk to the consumers.
Therefore, precautions such as water treatment and improved piping should be taken.
5. Change in the water table
When there is a drastic change in the climate (high rainfall or lack of enough rain), there may be iron fluctuations in water sources or wells.
The difference in the water table can causes this, and lead to an excess in your drinking water.
An increased amount of iron may overwhelm the available water treatment equipment. As a result, water flowing to homes will have high iron levels, causing the browning effect.
6. Problem with filtration equipment
Some towns may experience brown water due to some mechanical issues. Although this is rare, filtration equipment may fail due to mechanical problems or receiving unexpected high volumes of water not designed to handle.
Additionally, the purification process can be affected by operational changes such as filter backwashing.
Identify source
The following basic home tests will give you a good idea of the source of the problem.
a. Hot or cold water
The first step is to identify whether brown water is coming from a hot or cold water tap. If the brown water is only observed from the hot water pipe, the problem is within your system or pipes.
It is most likely corrosion if your unit is old.
On the other hand, if the brown water is coming from the cold water pipe, perform test b.
b. Bucket test
This test shows if the problem is coming from your house or the mains supply.
In this test, you need two clean and clear buckets. To perform this simple test, take one bucket and fill it with tap water from the front of your house. Next, take the second bucket and fill it with backyard tap water.
When the sample from the front house tap appears brown, the problem is corrosion of the supply pipes (the mains supply).
Leave the front the front yard tap for about 20 minutes and take another sample. Compare the second front yard sample with the other bucket (with backyard tap water).
If the second sample from the front yard is clean and the backyard is still brown, the problem is in your unit, not the main supply.
Finally, a drop in the water pressure is an indication of rusty pipes.
Fix
CDC states that the United States tap water supply is one of the safest globally. However, due to the above-discussed factors, brown tap water can be a widespread occurrence among many households in the U.S.
Therefore, it’s essential to know how to solve this issue.
Here are the steps to take:
1. Give it some time to clear
When you encounter this problem for the first time; it may be due to some sediments, which can clear after a few hours or days. However, if it persists, take the next step.
2. Replace old iron pipes
As seen above, old pipes and excess iron in water are causes of brown tap water. Replacing these old pipes in your home will help solve the issue.
3. Report it
You have replaced your unit, and the problem persists. Subsequently, inquire with the neighbors to see if they are experiencing the same issue. If yes, then it’s time to involve your local authorities since the problem is with the main supply.
4. Install a filter
In a city where brown water is ordinary, primarily due to regular fluctuations in pressure, installing a filter is ideal. Installing iron or sediment filters will be paramount as you wait for the city authorities to find a permanent solution.
