Discoloured water

Sometimes tap water can appear white or cloudy due to air bubbles or chalky deposits.

Chalky deposits are caused by hard water and air bubbles are often caused when we carry out work on our network.

Your water should return to normal within 24 to 48 hours if we are carrying out work near you.

You can confirm the cause by pouring a glass of water from the tap and allowing it to stand.

If the water clears from the bottom to the top, the discolouration is caused by tiny air bubbles. If it clears from the top downwards, there are likely chalky deposits.

Although this isn’t anything to worry about, if your water doesn’t return to normal, please contact us.

Bits in your water are usually caused by limescale, which can become stained by metal from pipework – this should go away within a few hours.

You may also notice bits in drinks if you have poured water from a kettle, or if you use a water filter or softener.

If bits have come from your kettle, simply empty and rinse your kettle before boiling to reduce this.

If you suspect they are caused by a softener or filter, please refer to the manufacturer for advice on what to do.

If you think the problem is with your supply and it does not return to normal, please contact us.

Brown, black or orange water is generally caused by iron in the water supply and can be a result of rust sediment in the main becoming disturbed due to a burst, repair work or a third party using a large volume of water, eg, the fire service.

Private internal plumbing and service pipes made of iron, including galvanised pipes, can also lead to the accumulation of iron sediments over time, which can give water a dark appearance. The colour and sediment within the water will be rust particles from the inside of iron pipes.

These particles are mostly iron, which is viewed as an essential part of a normal diet. However, we would recommend that you do not drink discoloured water as it may have an unpleasant taste.

Leave your cold water kitchen tap running until your water runs clear again – this can take up to 40 minutes.

If you have a water softener, bypass your water softener before flushing your cold water kitchen tap. If you can't do this, flush your outside tap or the tap in your downstairs bathroom or utility room.

If you have a boiling water tap, flush your outside tap or the tap in your downstairs bathroom or utility room.

Please contact us if running your taps fails to solve the problem.

Elevated copper levels can sometimes cause your water supply to appear slightly blue or green. The most common cause is new or recently altered pipework. This should go away within a few days once a protective layer forms inside your pipes.

Elevated copper can also be caused by degrading copper pipes, an overuse of flux, an issue with electrical grounding, and using a water softener. You may notice it when water has sat in your pipework for a long time, for example, after returning home from a holiday.

Toilet disinfectant blocks in your cistern can create brightly coloured water in a variety of colours, commonly blue, green or pink. Incorrectly installed or faulty plumbing connected to the toilet cistern can result in this water getting into your supply. This usually follows pressure changes, which can be caused by burst water mains and planned works.

If you think the cause is new or recently altered pipework, run your kitchen tap for two minutes to flush out any water that has been standing within the system. If your water doesn’t return to normal, please contact us.

If the water is bright green, blue or pink, this would suggest water from your toilet cistern has got into your supply. If this happens, please contact us immediately.

You should contact a qualified plumber if you think it has been caused by any other issue with your internal pipework or fittings.