Brown Water From Your Tap? Here's Why and What To Do!

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Seeing brown or orange water come out of your faucet can be a real surprise! It's natural to worry. But don't fret too much! Most times, brown water is caused by tiny bits of iron, manganese, or rust that get mixed into your water. These tiny bits usually just get stirred up in the pipes.

While it often goes away on its own, this discolored water can make your sinks and tubs dirty. It can also mess up your laundry! Sometimes, it even points to bigger issues with the pipes in your home or the big pipes that bring water to your neighborhood.

Even if the brown water disappears, it's super important to find out why it happened. Until you know what caused it, it's always safest not to drink or cook with brown water. This guide will help you understand why your water might be brown, how to figure out where the problem is, and what you can do about it.

Why Is My Water Brown? Simple Checks to Find Out!

Not all brown water comes from the same problem. Experts say there are a few common reasons for discolored water across different cities and homes. Before you get too worried, here are some quick checks that can help you figure out what's going on.

The way your water looks and when it turns brown can give you clues. To see how far back the problem goes, ask yourself: Is the problem just in my house's pipes? Is it coming from my hot water tank? Or is it something in the main water lines coming into my home?

1. Check Hot and Cold Water

• Turn on both your hot and cold water taps.
• If only the hot water is brown: The problem is likely inside your hot water heater. Bits of rust or dirt can settle at the bottom of the tank. You might be able to fix this by flushing out your hot water tank (cleaning it out). Or, a part inside called an anode rod might need replacing. But if rust keeps coming back, or if your tank itself is rusting, it might be time for a new hot water heater.
• If both hot and cold water are brown: The issue is likely coming from the main water supply to your home. This could be from your city's water lines, your well water, or the main pipes inside your house.

2. Check One Faucet or All Faucets

• If only one faucet has brown water: Look at the small screen (called an aerator) on the end of that faucet, or your shower head. Sometimes, rust bits get caught there. Cleaning the aerator or flushing out just that one faucet might solve the problem.
• If all the faucets in your house have brown water: This means the problem is further back in your home's main water supply or from your well.

Is Brown Water Safe to Drink? Be Careful!

The quick answer is: sometimes, but it's best to be careful.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has guidelines for things like iron and manganese in drinking water. These guidelines are mostly about how water tastes, looks, and if it stains things, not usually about making you sick. At low levels, these minerals are not thought to be harmful.

Still, it's smart to avoid drinking or cooking with water that is discolored until you know for sure what caused it.

Things to Watch Out For:

• Manganese: While often just a looks problem, very high levels of manganese can be a health risk, especially for babies.
• Rusty Pipes and Lead: Brown water can come from rusty pipes. If your home has older pipes made of lead or galvanized steel, rust could sometimes mean that lead is also getting into your water. If you think this might be a problem, only use cold water for cooking or drinking, and call a professional like ClrWtrCo right away to test your water.

Where Does Brown Water Come From? City Water vs. Well Water

Brown water can come from the city's water system or from your own private well. Both systems can have brown water, and knowing which one you use helps figure out the reason. In most cases, iron, manganese, or rust are the main culprits. These minerals are found naturally in groundwater and can also build up in metal pipes. When they get disturbed, they make your water look yellow, orange, reddish-brown, or sometimes even black.

Common Causes for Both City and Well Water:

• Broken Water Main: A burst water pipe in your city can stir up dirt and rust.
• Maintenance Work: When city workers flush pipes or do repairs, it can temporarily make water brown.
• Fire Hydrant Use: When firefighters use a hydrant, it can change water pressure and stir up sediment in the lines.
• Changes in Water Pressure: Any sudden change in water flow can loosen rust or dirt inside pipes.

Fix Your Brown Water with ClrWtrCo!

Solving your brown water problem doesn't have to be hard, but the fix needs to match what's actually in your water. That's why a professional water test is so important!

ClrWtrCo makes it easy and free to find out what's causing your brown water in Dallas-Fort Worth. While these tips can help you understand the issue, we always recommend talking to a water expert before trying to treat your water.

At ClrWtrCo, we can test your water to find the real problem. Then, we can offer the best solutions, like a whole-home water filtration system, to make sure your water is clean and clear for good!

Don't live with brown water! Get your FREE home water system estimate from ClrWtrCo today!