Clear As Mud: What The Color Of Your Water Is Telling You
Water--it is the nectar of life and necessary for every animal and plant on this planet to survive. While it doesn't have a flavor, odor, or color on its own, many things can impact how water looks, tastes, or smells to the human nose. One of the most common complaints that homeowners have is that tap water has taken on a certain color; when this happens, it's because the water is completely saturated with impurities. Ranging from minerals through chemical spills, this list will help you to spot what's in your water so that you can decide whether it's safe to drink or use.
Rusty Orange
If you've ever filled up the bathtub and noticed that the water was the approximate shade of a carrot, you've experienced this phenomena. This is extremely common in older homes where iron pipes were the norm during installation. What you're seeing is actually just rust. Slightly orange water isn't dangerous, but it will produce a slight coppery smell and clothing may become stained in your washer.
Higher levels of rust in drinking water over a long period of time can cause copper poisoning symptoms--usually once copper levels exceed 2 mg/L. A little bit of added copper can actually be beneficial to health! Unfortunately, any amount of the metal is likely to make your water taste unpleasant.
When you have rusty water, the best thing you can do is call in a plumber to check your lines for degradation and have the copper levels tested for safety. Rusty pipes also mean that, somewhere along the plumbing, a pipe is slowly corroding. The danger in this issue is more related to the fact that you might end up with pipes disintegrating due to the rust--and that means flooding, water damage, and many other very expensive concerns.
Black Water
When you turn on the tap and black water comes out, the first instinct is usually to gasp and worry whether or not your water has become toxic. The truth is that black water usually isn't toxic, although it certainly isn't very pleasant to drink or use.
Black water can be notoriously difficult to diagnose without testing. In most cases, the discoloration is due to a combination of naturally-occurring elements, like calcium, manganese, and iron. At low levels, these can discolor the water black without being dangerous to drink. Higher levels or very black water can be dangerous to human health indirectly--it can sometimes cause microbial blooms in the water.
This issue is most often caused by old pipes, either in your home or in the water delivery system. In other cases, it's caused by sediment. This is often introduced to the water system from the source or a broken pipe.
In extremely limited situations, black tap water can be caused by a localized oil spill seeping into the ground water table. Most homeowners would be advised of this long before they would notice water discoloration.
One telltale sign of petroleum products within the water is a distinct gasoline smell. If you do notice a petroleum smell, it's important that you stop drinking or using the water immediately and contact either the city or a sanitation contractor immediately.
Red, Brown, Green, or Black Flecks
Occasionally, water color will remain clear but the water will be filled with tiny spots and flecks. If they break down into dust in the hand when rubbed, you're most likely dealing with simple earth sediment. If they remain extremely hard, you're likely dealing with a mineral deposit.
Sediment flecks can range in color depending on what mineral deposits are found within your local ground water table. For the most part, these are safe to ignore, but it's not very pleasant to drink water that contains grit.
Blue flecks tend to be caused by copper deposits. These aren't harmful in small amounts, but very high saturation levels can sometimes lead to copper toxicity. Acute copper toxicity can produce nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Long-term, chronic copper toxicity can cause liver and kidney damage.
When flecks are green, soft to the touch, and slightly mushy, it indicates that you have algae in your system. This is more of a concern because certain algae can be harmful to your health. Often this will be paired with a sort of mossy, earthy odor that reminds you of fall leaves. If you believe this is the case, do not drink the water until you've had it tested.
The easiest way to solve any water problem is to have a water softener and filtration system installed at the intake pipe under your home. It's crucial that you don't install just any filter--the size of the grit in your water will determine what size filter you need. Using a filter that is too porous will simply allow the grit through; conversely, using a filter that isn't porous enough will result in a clog and water pressure failures. For questions about what water treatment is right for you, schedule an assessment with a contractor today.
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