Brown water coming out of your faucet or toilet can be very surprising and a bit disturbing. You probably have questions like “why is my water brown all of a sudden?” – or “is brown water safe?” Don’t worry, we have the answers to those questions and ways to help fix it!
What Causes Water to Turn Brown?
Your home’s water can turn brown for many reasons. Here are just a few:
- Your city may be performing maintenance on local water lines
- Water lines in your home could be corroded
- Changes in the water table due to drought or high rain could affect your well
- There could be high demand for water during a drought
- Your filtration system may not be working correctly
All of these can cause issues with your home’s water supply. That’s a lot of possible problems, but all of them can make your water brown due to increased sediment or rust in your water. Luckily, there are fixes for them.
How Do You Get Rid of Brown Water?
The answer to this question depends on the cause of the problem. If your city is doing maintenance, you’ll find that your water will be clear again after a couple of hours as things return to normal. Older water lines in your home can sometimes be treated with rust or sediment removers. If that doesn’t solve the problem, you’ll need to contact your local plumber. If you have a well and your water is brown, chances are you need an iron remover. High demand for water can draw sediment into your system, which means you may need an additional filtration system to protect your home during those times. Your filtration system not working is typically a city-related issue – and while it does occur, it is rare. Contact your local water supplier for more information in regard to that.
Is Brown or Rusty Water Safe?
While brown or rusty water can stain clothes or fixtures, it is typically not a health concern. With that said, it both tastes and looks bad – so you won’t want to drink any of it. In the event of brown water appearing in your home, be sure that you acquire safe drinking water until the problem is fixed.
No one wants issues with their water. If you’re not sure if you can fix it yourself, it’s important to contact professionals. Whether is brown water or water heater repair, Gotelli Plumbing will get the job done. Contact us for all your plumbing needs.