If you turn on your tap water only to find that it is yellow, it can be incredibly frustrating and concerning. You might be worried that something is seriously wrong with your plumbing system, and you might be concerned that the water could be hazardous to your health.

Before you can figure out how to get rid of the yellow water, you need to figure out why it is present. Take a look at some of the most common reasons why your water might be yellow, and drink bottled water until you fix the issue.

7 Common Reasons for Yellow Water

There are a few reasons why might notice yellow water coming out of your home. Some of the most common causes include:

1. Rusty Pipes Lead To Yellow Tap Water

One of the first reasons why your water might be yellow is that your pipes are rusty. There it a chance that the rust in your pipes could be yellow, and this rust could be passing into your water. Certain forms of rust are soluble in water, and when they dissolve in your water supply, they turn it yellow.

Gradually, the sediment from the rust will corrode from the inside of your pipes, turning your water yellow. You might need to address the rust inside your pipes if you want to stop your water from turning yellow.

2. Your Water Heater Might Be Rusty

The vast majority of water heaters today are designed to resist rust, but if you don’t take care of them, even rust-resistant water heaters can develop corrosion. While water heaters might be rust-resistant, they are not rust-proof.

Many water heaters have an anode rod inside of them that are designed to prevent the rest of the tank from rusting. Unfortunately, if the rod begins to rust, it could turn your water yellow. If you open your water heater and see a yellow tinge on the inside of it, it could mean that your water heater has turned rusty. 

3. Pipe Maintenance and Repairs Can Turn Your Water Yellow

If you want your plumbing system to work well, you need to take care of it. Unfortunately, this also gives your water an opportunity to turn yellow. There is a chance that a during maintenance, water pipes may be flushed with a certain solution to clean the inside of them, and it could turn your water yellow briefly.

If you notice that your water pressure is a bit higher than usual, it could indicate that they are being flushed. When this water reaches your home, it might turn yellow. You simply need to let the tap run for a little while and wait for the yellow color to go away. 

4. You Have Changed Your Water Source

If your water source has been changed, it could cause your water to turn yellow. For example, you may be going from a river or a reservoir to a separate supply of water. This could disrupt your water flow briefly, and it could turn your water yellow. Eventually, this yellow discoloration should go away. 

5. You Have Contaminants in Your Water Supply

There is a chance that your water quality might be a bit poor as well. There are a variety of contaminants in your water supply that could cause it to turn yellow. Some of the most common examples include copper, zinc, lead, iron, or even tannins. If you have any of these contaminants in your water supply, it could impact the taste and color of your water. You will need to get a water filter that can remove these contaminants to restore your water to normal.

6. Your Pipes Have Ruptured

If a natural disaster or major cold front rolls through your area, your pipes could burst. Then, if your pipes rupture, sediments and contaminants can easily enter your water supply, turning the water yellow in other areas of the home.

Unfortunately, you have no way of knowing what these contaminants are without a proper water test, so many of them can be hazardous to your health. You will need to address this situation quickly to protect your health, the rest of your home, and address the color issues with your water supply.

7. Your Faucets Have Gotten Corroded

Today, many faucets are designed to resist corrosion. They are made from zinc, brass, and stainless steel. Unfortunately, you might have older faucets that are not resistant to corrosion, or maybe the interior components of the faucets may have gotten worn down.

Then, as corrosion takes place inside your faucet, the contaminants could make their way into your water flow. You may need to perform some routine maintenance on your faucets to get rid of the contamination.

How To Fix Yellow Water

If you have yellow water in your plumbing system, there are several solutions available. You will need to customize the solution to match the problem. A few of the options include:

Fix Ruptured Pipes

If your water supply has turned yellow because your pipes have ruptured, you will need to seal up the ruptured pipes or replace them if they cannot be repaired.

Then, do not forget to run a test on your water supply to make sure it is safe to use. Just because the color has returned to normal doesn’t necessarily mean you have removed all of the contaminants.

Flush the Faucets With High Water Pressure

If you believe the culprit is corrosion in your faucets, you will need to flush them with high water pressure to get rid of the corroded material.

You might also be able to use white vinegar to clean the faucets. White vinegar is a powerful solution that you can use to dissolve the residue on the inside of the faucet.

Water Filters Can Remove Contaminants

If you believe you have contaminants in your water supply turning the water yellow, you will need to install a water filter. Before you can select the right water filter, you need to know what the contaminants are. You may want to run a water test that can detect contaminants such as copper, zinc, lead, and iron. Then, select a water filter that can effectively remove those specific contaminants.

A Rusty Water Heater

If your water heater is rusty, you will need to figure out why. You may want to check the sacrificial anode rod first. Then, if you find that the rod has rusted over, you’ll need to call a plumber to come and replace it for you.

If the hot water tank is more than 10 years old, there could be other rusty components that have to be addressed. Therefore, you might be better off purchasing a new water heater for hot water instead. 

Rusty Pipes

If you have rusty pipes in your home, you will need to replace them. While this process can be expensive, you can get new pipes that will not rust in the future. Do not forget that you should install a whole-house water filter to remove any remaining residue from your water supply. That is where DROP has you covered. 

Protect Your Water Supply With the Top Products From DROP

You need to make sure that you have a safe water supply in your home. DROP can help you. With a variety of water softeners and water filters, you can make sure that every aspect of your plumbing system is adequately protected.

You and your family deserve to have a safe, clean, healthy supply of water, so take a look our water system product selection today.