Tap water is not always clean. You can turn on your tap and get brown water full of dirt and debris. The water can also have other impurities that are not easy to see. Some of these impurities like minerals are detected by taste. You should always ensure that the water you drink is clean and safe. And although some of these imparities do not pose any health hazard, they can still ruin the taste of the water. You should test your water regularly to ensure that it does not contain any impurities. Let us now look at some common impurities that you can find in your tap water.
Dirt
Dirty tap water is not very common but you can still get it from time to time. Dirty water contains actual dirt, and maybe sand and silt. Dirty water is an indication that the main water supply line is damaged. If this is the case, then you need to hire a DC emergency plumber immediately to fix the problem. You should start by calling your local water supply company to find out whether the problem is on their side or yours. If the water supply company has no problem, then you need your local plumber to inspect your water supply pipes. Dirty water is more common in households with wells. If you get your water from a well, then the dirt could be coming from the well. If it’s a new well, try running the water for some time to drain out the system. You should also consider repairing or replacing the water screening and filtration system.
Minerals
Minerals are very common in water. This is what we refer to as hard water. Depending on your locality, you can discover that your water has high levels of iron, calcium, or manganese. And although these minerals do not pose a health hazard to people or animals, they can still ruin the taste of the water. These metals can also leave stains on your clothes and dishes when you use the hard water for cleaning. They also inhibit lathering making cleaning and bathing a huge hassle.
Rubber
With time, the rubber tubing in your plumbing appliances, such as the hot water heater, can start to wear out. The tiny pieces will be drowned in the water and you can find these pieces when you fetch the water for drinking or cleaning. Rubber is mostly worn out by chlorine. As such, if you use chlorine to treat your water, then you can expect rubber impurities in the long run. If you notice rubber bits in your water, call a professional plumber to replace the worn-out rubber tubing.
Carbon
You can also notice carbon specks in your tap water. This usually occurs when the carbon in your water filter disintegrates. Carbon is used to trap foreign bodies and impurities from the water. But with time the carbon filter and/or cartridge gets old and worn-out. This is when you start to notice tiny specks of carbon in the water. Check the user manual of your carbon filter to see how you can repair it or replace the cartridge.
Rust
Rust is one of the most common impurities in water. You will find rust particles in your water when some of your pipes, fixtures or appliances are corroded. You can also get the rust from your water supply company. If consumed in install amounts, rust is not a health hazard. But it still undermines the taste and equality of the water. You will need a professional plumber to determine the source of the rust and to fix it.