You’re going to brush your teeth, but when you turn on the water, a flood of brown, cloudy liquid appears. Yuck!

The rusty, brown water flowing from your faucets or shower is one of the most shocking sights a homeowner may observe. Imagine standing under the showerhead, appreciating the cold, pleasant water, and then opening your eyes to discover a murky, discolored stream flowing over you. 

This is not only a common nightmare but also occurs frequently to many people. This blog will explain why tap water is rusty or discolored and what you can do to fix the problem.

What Makes The Water Rusty?

If too much sediment or minerals is in the water supply, the color will change to a rusty brown, yellow, or red. Iron and manganese are the most common water-discoloration minerals. Tiny metallic deposits of these minerals can enter the water stream from various natural and artificial sources. Those minerals aren’t toxic to humans but can give tap water an unpleasant smell and taste.

Is It Dangerous?

Many new homeowners fear that the discolored or muddy water poses a health risk because they have never seen anything like it before. Tainted water is safe to drink, but it’s not advised that you make it a regular thing. 

Iron and manganese are not harmful in drinking water, but other minerals and sediments might be dangerous. If you don’t take care of rusty pipes, they can contaminate your water supply, cause more damage to your pipes, and even pose a health risk. So, it’s still necessary to respond swiftly.

Can You Take a Bath in Rusty Water?

This is an often-asked query: “can rusty water harm your hair?” The mineral-rich water is harmless to consume or bathe in, although it may cause hair damage. Soap may not lather as well in hard water, making it more of an effort to get clean.

Is There Anything You Can Do?

If your water has taken on a strange color, you might try clearing it by letting it run in the cold water for 30 minutes. If it doesn’t solve the problem, you may check with the neighbors to see if they are experiencing the same thing. If they are experiencing similar issues, it may be something that the utility company servicing your area should investigate and fix. It could be that the city is cleaning up the pipes and accidentally stirring up some sediments. You should be able to get an explanation as to when the water will clear up again and what is being done to address the issue.

After the utility workers have finished, you may turn on your taps and let them run for a few seconds until the water is no longer orange. If there is brown water in the toilet, it should go away after a couple of flushes.

But if you’re the only one experiencing problems, it’s probably best to have a plumber look at your pipes.

We at Bueno Plumbing can help you figure out why your bath water is brown or rusty water from your tap. If you give us a call, we can find out why your sinks are leaking brown water. We will restore your plumbing so that you and your family can enjoy pure and clean drinking water again!