On the occasion, the cold water tap in my kitchen sink has yellow water on it. This led me to my favorite resource, Google! These are some of the common causes of water discoloration.
If you have yellow, red, or orange water (like I do), you have rust in the water.. The color variation depends on the oxidation of the oxide. Rust in the water will not cause health problems.
Rusty water can come from your city water main or pipes in your home. If your problem only arises when you use cold water (again, like me), if the color change is sudden, or if the color is fading from all taps, then it is a major city water problem. Cities often flush their main water pipes annually to remove sediment, so the problem could go away on its own. However, if there is little flow in your area, the discolored water can continue.
While discolored water is not a health threat, it can stain clothing, so do not wash clothing while discoloration occurs. If you get a rusty color on clothes, do not use bleach. The chemical reaction will make the stain permanent. All you need to do is re-wash your clothes.
If the water becomes discolored every morning, if the water clears after a few minutes, if the discoloration is in a tap, or if the discoloration is in hot water, the problem is in the pipes in your house. If the problem is in your home, you need to replace the rusted pipes. If you have galvanized pipes and you choose to replace corroded pipes with copper, make sure you connect them correctly. If you connect them directly, copper can make galvanized pipes rust faster.
If you have blue-green water, this is a problem with copper pipes or brass fittings. If you have this color in the water, it can cause health problems and should be remedied immediately. Large amounts of copper in water can cause gastrointestinal, kidney, and / or liver problems.
If your water is:
BLACK – this could be a mold problem and you must call a plumber to investigate.
PINK: a harmless organism is growing in your water. It does not cause health problems.
BLUE – Your sanitizer toilet tank is leaking and it’s mixing with your water supply. Call a plumber to fix the leak.
GREEN – Algae grows in your water supply.