Discoloured water

If your water has turned white or brown, or if it has bits in it, follow our advice to get it back to normal.

White or cloudy 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.

What to do

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

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.

What to do

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 water

Brown 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 cause brown water. 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.

What to do

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.