Why is My Water Yellow? reasons and concerns for homeowners

Have you ever had yellow water come out of your tap?  If not, consider yourself lucky as it’s not a pretty site. A million questions might start running through your head, why is my water yellow? Is it my plumbing system? Is it the water supply? Is this water going to make me sick? Although unsightly, yellow water isn’t usually dangerous.

Discolored tap water is often caused by rust particles. It’s always best to rule out your water tank. To do this, you will need to check your hot and cold water. If only your hot water is rusty, then your issues might only be with the hot water heater. Rusty yellow water coming from hot tap water could be a sign that your hot water heater is accumulating rust. 

What Causes Yellowing in Water?

The source of your water will determine why your water is yellow. When dealing with a rusted water supply, you will likely see red, orange or yellow water coming from your facets. 

Here’s an overview of the most common causes of yellowing in water sources:

Yellow Tap Water

The cause of yellowing in your tap water depends on its source. In most cases, tap water is connected to a city water supply. If this is true for you, then the problem you are facing could be related to your city’s water flushing operations. 

Your city periodically flushes all of its water mains to clear out any accumulated rust and debris. This helps to release any sediment that has built up in the lines. 

It is never a bad idea to call your local water company to raise questions. If it’s suspected that the discolored water is coming from your city’s water flushing operations, then it will generally clear itself up at a fair speed. 

You may proceed to ask your neighbors if they are experiencing a similar problem if the yellowing isn’t resolved in time. If this is not the case, then it’s a good idea to plumber” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener sponsored”>call your plumber to check your pipes.

Yellow Well Water

There are two major reasons why your well water could be turning yellow. The first reason for yellowing could indicate low water levels. The second reason is that your well could have fallen victim to decaying vegetation, iron buildup, iron bacteria, manganese buildup or accumulation of organic material.

Your well could still be safe for use if the deposits are in moderate quantities. However, you must take an extra step and engage your local certified water technician to recommend the most effective treatment options. 

Contaminants That Cause The Yellow Color in Your Water

Here’s the list of materials that will contaminate your water and cause the yellow discoloration:

Buildup of manganese and iron

There are chances that you may be a victim of iron or manganese buildup if you depend on your private well for your water supplies. Remember, the chemical materials contained in ground water like iron and manganese tend to affect both the color and odor of your drinking water. 

Organic materials

Organic materials produce tannins as a by-product of their fermentation process. Science considers tannins as the major cause of discoloration in water. There is no need to worry if you suspect that the yellowing in your water source is caused by tannins. 

Tannins generally do not cause any harm to your health. Nonetheless, you still need to take an extra step and have the tannins cleared from your water source.

Iron bacteria

You could be a victim of iron bacteria if your groundwater supply has turned yellow. Iron bacteria emerges when the bacteria in your groundwater bonds with oxygen, iron and manganese. In essence, this is a common problem for private wells. 

Iron water shouldn’t be a threat to your health. You will have to seek the services of a professional to have the iron bacteria cleared.

Health Risks of Yellow Water

In most cases, yellow discolored water is not harmful to your health but In all honesty, I’m not sure anyone would feel comfortable drinking or even bathing in yellow water. Adding a filter to your tap is the quickest solution to address the yellow water while you wait on identifying the root cause. 

How to Fix Yellow Water Coming into Your Home

Here’s what you need to do any time you are faced with these water challenges:

1. Determine the source of the yellow water

You don’t want to start spending blindly just because your taps are producing discolored water. It’s a great idea to establish the source of the problem to identify a solution. If you conducted your investigations and realized that it is a persistent problem with your city water, then filtering is the only solution at hand as you wait for the city to handle the issue.

On the other hand, a problem that is solely affecting your home will call for an individualized solution. In this case, you will need to reach out to a plumber. Your plumber will come to assess the extent of the problem and then advise you on issues like costs and the methods he will use to rectify the problem. 

2. Arm yourself with a water filter

Water filters are not only a great solution to use while you wait on your water issue to be resolved but to use throughout the house going forward. They remove pieces of debris and minimize or remove any form of contaminants in your water supply. Most water filters are easy to use and affordable.

3. Reverse osmosis filtration

Reverse osmosis filtration initiates water treatment by forcing it through a membrane. Water is passed through a very fine filter which prevents any contaminants from passing through your tap water. Only the filtered water will be allowed to penetrate through the membrane while the impurities accumulate behind. This process makes your tap water clean and safe for drinking.

Getting a reverse osmosis filtration system installed in your house can make a great difference if you want to handle these water issues with a lot of ease. The system will keep every drop of water coming from the city water supply or your private well safe for drinking. However, you must be keen to ensure that your osmosis filtration systems are only installed by an expert to get the value of your money.

4. Use water softeners

Water softeners are known to yield positive results when used as cures in these water challenges. However, you have to ensure that you will be getting the best water softener that solves the problem rather than increasing the yellowing intensity.

You may choose to go the traditional way by adopting resin beads as your water softeners any time you are faced with the yellowing challenge. It would be advisable to use sodium-charged resin beads as they have calcium and magnesium exchange ions that will replace the stubborn minerals that cause the yellowing effect.

The problem with water softeners emerges from the extra need to restore the mineral balance and neutral alkalinity of the water after dealing with the yellowing challenge. Remember, softeners will interfere with the taste of the water and concentration of mineral deposits. Most of the water softeners in the market are designed for easy DIY installation.

5. Replace the pipes

Replacing your water system pipes should be a solution after you are sure that the water issue is an internal problem that isn’t affecting other people in your neighborhood. In this case, you will have to spare a significant chunk of cash as you will either be doing a partial replacement or a total overhaul. 

In conclusion, this type of water is a normal problem that many homeowners must grapple with in their lifetime. Though awkward, the water running through your taps won’t harm you. Generally, it is safe for drinking and for use with other home chores. It’s best to deal with the problem as soon as possible to minimize future escalations.