Argh! Tap Water Is Brown Is This Safe?

[marieukxx]

This past week our tap water is brown. We've phoned up about it and they said leave it run but it's still brown. They said if it continues they'll investigate but it is safe.

Do you think it will be ok for my fish? I'm setting up a new tank plus I will be doing my routine 20% water change on sunday and I'm worried.

 

[Mr Melt]

Brown water is usually sediment or something yes?

Test it with an API testkit (liquid) or something - let us know what its parameters are!

 

[minnnt]

It won't do much for the look of the tank... Or you when making a cuppa!

Have you got any friends or family near by where you could go and get say 20% of your tank volume from?

 

[moochy13]

if i had brown water coming out of my tap and the water company said "just let it run" id have told them to shove it, and they better get somebody out pronto to investigate.

 

[marieukxx]

if i had brown water coming out of my tap and the water company said "just let it run" id have told them to shove it, and they better get somebody out pronto to investigate.

Yeah now their advice is run the water for 24 hours! There's people out there with no water and here's me runnning the water for 24 hours!!

I don't know what to do now it's been like this all week. When I test it shall I leave it sit for a bit? If so how long?

 

[marieukxx]

Thanks we've rung them twice now and they said the same thing. I'll try again and say I want someone out. It's happened before and tbh I wasn't worried because I didn't have my fish but now I don't wanna risk putting it in my tank.

 

[marieukxx]

I'll leave it run tonight then phone them again in the morning. I'll have to put off my water change and setting up my new tank for the mo.

 

[moochy13]

if you're on a meter, make sure you mention it to them. is there anything you can use the water for ? as you say, people are dying of thirst and they're telling you to run it straight down the sink. if i lived close to where they were based, id be tempted to go see them with a flask of their 'safe' water and see if anybody wanted to drink it. that'd get them to pull their fingers from their arses.

can you not just ask your neighbours nicely for some water ?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I had a similar problem, and the company sent someone out quickly. They found it was iron, and they will be out to flush my house water out completely on Wednesday.

 

[Randi]

I'm with moochy, there is no way I would pay a water bill after they told me to let it run for 24 hours.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

if you're on a meter, make sure you mention it to them. is there anything you can use the water for ? as you say, people are dying of thirst and they're telling you to run it straight down the sink. if i lived close to where they were based, id be tempted to go see them with a flask of their 'safe' water and see if anybody wanted to drink it. that'd get them to pull their fingers from their arses.

can you not just ask your neighbours nicely for some water ?

Actually, talking to your neighbors is a great idea. When my problem came up, my wife and I started inquiring of our neighbors and everyone of them we talked to thought it was just them! I'm not sure that they can help you with getting water, but they probably can help you fight the water company. One voice is easy to ignore, but when the entire switchboard is lit up by a single neighborhood's water concern, it is hard to ignore. (Also if you all agree not to pay, the potential loss of revenue might actually cause them to take action.)

 

[coldcazzie]

Thanks we've rung them twice now and they said the same thing. I'll try again and say I want someone out. It's happened before and tbh I wasn't worried because I didn't have my fish but now I don't wanna risk putting it in my tank.

Really? I take it you don't have kids then? If my tap was spewing brown water I'd have the water company out so fast they left burn marks on the road!

 

[minnnt]

Thanks we've rung them twice now and they said the same thing. I'll try again and say I want someone out. It's happened before and tbh I wasn't worried because I didn't have my fish but now I don't wanna risk putting it in my tank.

Really? I take it you don't have kids then? If my tap was spewing brown water I'd have the water company out so fast they left burn marks on the road!

Me too!!