By now, the importance of checking and caring for your well water should be obvious. You know the dangers of untreated well water, the necessity of frequent water testing, and you know what your well water usually looks, smells, and behaves like. So then, the only thing left to learn is how to tell when something is wrong, and what exactly that wrong means. If one day your crystal clear water is now a sickly swamp green, what happened?
Decoding the Rainbow
Red/Orange/Yellow Hues
Typically, any warm hues saturating your water means that it’s full of rust, most likely coming from rusted pipes. Although unsightly and staining, this water isn’t unsafe. However, it’s also possible that deeper orange, or even brown hues, could come from decay leaching into the groundwater.
Green/Blue Hues
Normally, blue waters would have you dreaming of vacation, but when it’s coming for your tap there’s a problem. If your well water has a blue tint to it, the culprit is most likely your pipes. Corroded Copper pipes can contaminate waters, making them blue, but also filling them with unhealthy levels of copper and metals.
Similarly, green water can be an indication of bronze contaminants in the system. Or, an also likely answer, algae growth from warm weather combined with a lapse in care for the system.
Brown/Black Hues
Dark water is never something you want to see coming from your faucet. There’s a variety of reasons your water could be darkening- most of which aren’t ideal. The least concerning, would be a buildup of magnesium in your waters, interacting with the other minerals and oxygen, turning the water black. Other options include, backed up pipes, a mildew problem, or even a backup of sewage- which are just as unpleasant as they sound! Dark water is probably the most concerning of all colors that should get immediate professional attention.
White/Milky Hues
If your water is starting to resemble a glass of 2% more than H2O, typically the culprit is trapped air bubbles in the water supply. To be sure that it’s simply air bubbles, watch to see if your water clears up in a few minutes. In a glass of water, it should clear from the bottom up. If the test fails, it’s likely to be a buildup of another sediment in the supply, or possibly a compromised pipe or well casing.
Faulstick Plumbing
No matter what the color, or the cause, it’s best to address changes in your well water swiftly to avoid further issues. You may be able to clear up some problems on your own, with testing and an adjustment in your water treatment. However, it’s best to get any changes to your water checked out by the pros to make sure everything is in tip-top shape for your family’s water needs!
At Faulstick Plumbing, we specialize in installs, repairs, and inspections for all of your well, water, and plumbing needs. Our family-owned and operated business has built a reputation as the best-doing things the right way with the customer in mind, every time. Give us a call at 570-992-0447 to discuss your needs today!
