Is your water’s color something other than clear? Does your water look okay when it comes out of the tap, but you notice it has a slight tinge to it when you fill an entire bathtub with it? The following are explanations for different water coloration that will help you know if you need to consider doing something about your water quality:
My Water Looks Rusty
If your water looks brown, red, rusty, orange, or yellow, you have rust in the water. What you’re seeing is the result of the oxidation stages of the iron (which will look different depending on what stage of oxidation the rust is in and how much rust is in your water.)
There are a couple reasons for rust in your water. You could have rusty water because:
- Your hot water heater tank is rusting and needs to be replaced
- There has been a disturbance in the water mains, causing some rusty water to come through
You can determine if the rust problem is coming from your hot water heater or the water mains pretty easily.
If your rusty water is the related to your hot water heater, you’ll notice:
- Only the hot water is rusty; cold water is clear
- The water seems to clear after a while, but is rusty when you first run it
If your rusty water is related to the water mains, you’ll notice:
- Your cold water is rusty
- Your water used to be clear, but is suddenly rusty now
- All water from all your faucets is rusty and the rustiness does not improve as you run the water
If you have well water, you’ll want to check into your pipes and well itself to see if something is rusting.
You could also test your water from the presence of manganese, which can cause a brown or black tinge to the water.
My Water Looks Milky or Cloudy (Kind of White)
Most of the time milky or cloudy water, this is just a sign that the water is full of air. You’re just seeing air bubbles caused by water pressure. It’s usually not a problem at all. However, if you fill a clear glass with water and it does not clear within three minutes or so, you will want to get your water tested just to make sure there isn’t something concerning going on.
My Water Looks Green or Blue (Or a Combination of the Two Colors)
If you’ve got green water, you probably have some copper corrosion in your pipes or a case of dezincification of low-quality bronze alloys of your plumbing valves. You can have your water tested for copper or zinc to be sure you You might notice a bluish-green stain on your porcelain before you notice it in glasses of water or the tub.
If it’s summer time and you see a greenish tint to your water, it’s possible that you may be seeing some algae in the water. This is usually not a problem health-wise, but a lot of people find the color unappetizing and choose to filter their water to remove this coloration.
Let ER Services of Charlotte NC Help You
We’re water quality specialists, so we can help you determine if you need to be concerned or if everything is just fine the way it is. Contact us with your questions and concerns, and we’ll check into the health of your pipes, hot water heater, and water quality.
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