Brown or rusty water: what it means
Brown water from the tap is alarming, but it is often temporary. A few minutes of testing tells you whether the problem is in the street, your water heater, your pipes or your well.
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Why is my tap water brown?
Brown or rusty water usually comes from iron and sediment stirred up in the water main after a break, hydrant flushing or construction, which clears on its own. If only the hot water is brown, the water heater is the likely source. If it is brown at every tap and does not clear, older galvanized pipes or iron in well water are the usual causes.
- Cold only: often the main
- Hot only: the water heater
- Every tap, every day: pipes
- Wells: iron and manganese
Find the source in a few minutes
Check cold and hot
Run cold water at the faucet closest to where water enters the house, then hot.
Cold is brown
Run the cold tap for a few minutes. If it clears, the cause was likely in the street.
Only hot is brown
The water heater is the likely source: rust inside the tank or a spent anode rod.
Brown everywhere, every day
Suspect old galvanized pipe or iron in well water, and call us.
If it is the water main
Water main breaks, hydrant flushing and nearby construction stir up sediment that has settled in the city mains. The water usually clears within a few hours. Run the cold tap nearest the meter until it runs clear, and avoid running the washing machine or water heater until then, so you do not pull sediment into them. If it does not clear, call your water provider.
If it is the water heater
Rusty hot water usually means the inside of the tank is corroding. Every tank has an anode rod that corrodes in place of the tank; when it is used up, the tank starts to rust. Flushing helps if the color comes from sediment, and replacing the anode can extend a younger heater's life. Rusty water from an older tank, especially with a leak or rumbling, usually means replacement is close. See our guide to water heater maintenance.
If it is your pipes
Homes built before the 1970s may still have galvanized steel supply pipes, which rust from the inside. Signs are brown water at every tap, low pressure that gets worse over time, and leaks at threaded joints. Patching galvanized rarely lasts; repiping solves the rust and the pressure together.
On a private well, brown or orange water and stains on fixtures usually come from iron or manganese in the groundwater. We test the water first, then recommend the right whole-house filtration.
Brown water: common questions
Is brown water safe to drink?
Rust and sediment are mostly a taste and staining problem, but avoid drinking it until it clears, and follow any notice from your water provider.
Why is my water brown after a water main break?
The break and repair stir up sediment in the main. Running the cold tap usually clears it within hours.
Will brown water stain my laundry?
Yes. Wait until the water runs clear before doing laundry.
Why is only my hot water brown?
The water heater is the likely source: rust in the tank or sediment on the bottom.
Do you test well water?
Yes. We test first so any filter we recommend matches what is in your water.
Ready when you are
Tell us what's going on.
A Master Plumber will find the cause, explain it in plain terms, and put your options in writing before any work starts.
- A licensed Master Plumber on every job
- Serving the Upstate since 2010
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