Pure and clean water is crystal clear. Presence of any coloration in water indicates “contamination”. Do you want to know why is your tap water colored? If your answer is yes, let’s find out about this in this article.
Some common water color due to impurities and contaminates are:
Brown and Red
A reddish brown or rusty color indicates that your water is contaminated with iron or manganese. One possible reason of brown colored water is rusty pipes or rusty walls of water tank. Water flowing through the pipes carries the rust clinging to the inner walls of the pipes. The rusty water acts as a breeding ground for various bacteria causing illness. With time rusted pipes develop cracks and leaks. The cracks expose water to the germs and impurities present in soil and air, thus deteriorating the purity and quality of water. High iron content in water damages the membrane and filter of the water purifiers and RO.
Yellow
A yellowish color indicates that water has been contaminated by soil or some organic matters present in soil, before reaching your home. Yellow color can also be due to presence of iron or rust in water.
Greenish blue
It is usually due to the corrosion of copper plumbing. When copper corrosion takes places then water dripping from your faucet leaves a greenish blue stain on the sink or wash basin. Green color can also be due to the presence of algae in water tank or water pipes. It is a health threat. To solve this problem get your corroded copper plumbing replaced. Also get your water tank checked. With time algae grows on the walls, floor and ceiling of the tank.
White and cloudy
Cloudiness is due to finely divide particles dissolved in water. It is also due to presence of air bubble in water. When light hits water, it get scattered by tiny particles present in water, giving it a cloudy or white color. The cloudiness usually settles in few minutes. It is not a health threat.
With time minerals, metals, salts etc. get deposited in the interiors of the water tank and supply pipes, resulting in change in the color, taste and odor of water. It is very important to check the condition of water pipes and tank regularly.
So, if you are worried as to why is your tap water colored, you need to take certain steps to get rid of it and one of the main step is to get your water tank cleaned.
Water tank cleaning is important and should be done at least once in a year. The cracks and leakage in the water pipes should be immediately repaired to prevent water contamination. If water supplied to your home is high in iron content, then get an iron filtration system in line with your RO system.
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