Living in a bustling city or a rural town, you expect certain amenities such as clear drinking water from your taps. However, if you turn on your tap water only to find that it is yellow, it can be incredibly frustrating and concerning. The discolouration could be due to manganese, and other harmful bacteria or chemicals in your water system. Armed with this information, 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 understand the factors causing it. Why is it present? Take a look at some of the most common reasons why your water might be yellow, and consider drinking safe 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 might even be manganese stains on the inside. There is a chance that the rust in your pipes could be yellow, and this rust, or even bacteria or chemicals, 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 city 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, the rust particles could turn your water yellow. If you open your water heater and see a yellow tinge or stains 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 during maintenance, water pipes may be flushed with a certain solution to clean the inside of them, and the chemicals used could turn your water yellow briefly.
If you notice that your water pressure is a bit higher than usual, it could indicate that the taps 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, likely from added chemicals, to go away.
4. You Have Changed Your Water Source
If your city 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 maybe even introduce bacteria that cause the discolouration. 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 common contaminants in water supplies that could cause it to turn yellow. Some of the most common examples include copper, zinc, lead, iron, or even tannins (decaying vegetation) from well water. 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 city, your pipes could burst. Then, if your pipes rupture, sediments and contaminants, including bacteria and other unwanted chemicals, 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, whether it is hazardous iron bacteria or something else entirely, can be a serious concern for your health. You will need to address this situation quickly to protect your health, the well-being of your clothing and laundry, and address the color issues with your water supply.
7. Your Faucets Have Gotten Corroded
Today, many faucets are designed to resist corrosion from various treatment options. They are made from zinc, brass, and stainless steel. Unfortunately, you might have older faucets that are not resistant to corrosion, or perhaps the interior components of the faucets may have gotten worn down due to extended use.
Then, as corrosion caused by iron bacteria and other contaminants takes place inside your faucet, it could make its way into your water flow. Based on the experience, you may need to perform some routine maintenance on your faucets, using appropriate water treatment to get rid of the contamination.
How To Fix Yellow Water
If you have yellow water in your plumbing system, there are several treatment options available. You will need to customize the treatment to match the problem, considering factors such as the extent of damage to the pipes, the flora, used in the treatment and the type of contaminants present. 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. This is especially necessary if the damage is along the mains, as this could affect your entire water supply.
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. The concern for your family’s health should always be a priority.
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. Some people have used special water treatment options to help rid their plumbing system of such concerns.
You might also be able to use white vinegar to clean the faucets. White vinegar is a potent ingredient that you can use to dissolve the residue on the inside of the faucet, it also helps in disinfection.
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 (not water softener). 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, this is where water treatment becomes crucial.
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. Be it an issue with the mains or internal components, the plumber should be able to address it effectively.
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. The quality of water supply that you receive can significantly impact the lifespan of these devices.
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 and is not a concern anymore.
You and your family deserve to have a safe, clean, healthy supply of water, so take a look our water system product selection today. Your experience with our products can help us improve our services.
