What To Do for the Brown Well Water Blues

When you turn on your faucets, and the clean, refreshing water you expect to see flowing is brown, muddy, and murky, it makes for quite a nasty surprise. Worse still, it may not be as harmless as you first believe, as it often points to contamination of the water you and your family use – or drink – every day. Whatever is causing your water’s discoloration, it is an obvious sign that your well system needs some extra attention. It is imperative to find the cause and fix it as soon as possible so that you and your family can trust your well water again. 

Testing Your Well Water

Finding the root cause of your brown well water is essential to deciding on an appropriate solution. There are two important things to consider: 

• Has your water been turned off and back on recently? If so, that can cause your water’s discoloration due to dislodged dirt and debris. 
• Does the issue only occur when you turn on the hot or cold water taps, or both? If the problem only occurs with the hot tap, it can indicate rust in the water heater. If both taps run brown water, you could have rust in your piping, plumbing fixtures, or from your well’s main water pipe.  

If your water comes out of your taps brown, you clearly – or not-clearly, rather – know something is wrong, But even if your water comes out of the faucet clean, that is not a guarantee that your water is safe. To test it, fill a glass and let it sit for at least 5 minutes. If it turns brown, your water is contaminated. 

Brown Well Water Causes

Your drinkable well water comes from an aquifer, a storage component that collects it after it filtrates through a gravel level that removes sediment. This process is supposed to provide you with clear water, so how does your well water turn brown?  There are a few common causes.  

Rain 

If your area has received more rainfall than usual, brown well water can result from rusty plumbing, rainwater runoff contamination, or septic cross-contamination. 

Iron Ore 

When water collects and remains in iron pipes too long, it can create what is known as iron water. A proliferation of iron causes water, sink, and clothing stains and impacts your water’s taste, smell, and appearance. One form of iron water is manganese, which causes brown or black tints to water and a bitter taste. 

Rust

As mentioned previously, rust in your home’s pipes can cause one faucet to release brown water. If one room’s faucets have discolored water while some run clear, it’s a good indication that you have rusty pipes. 

Fixing Your Well Water

Suppose you cannot determine the cause for your discolored well water yourself. In that case, it is best first to have your well inspected and your water professionally assessed for pH, hardness, bacteria, dissolved minerals, and coliform. 

Water Treatment Services

Depending on the root cause of the brown well water, water treatment services may be needed. These can include: 

• Water softeners or reverse osmosis systems 
• Hard water treatment
• Water purification and filters
• Well water chlorinators
• Water system inspections 

Many of Perry’s Pump Repair water purifying systems require minimal maintenance and do not require frequent service or fill-ups. 

Well Pump Repair 

Not to worry if your brown well water is caused by a damaged or aging well pump. Perry’s Pump Repair technicians are knowledgeable in submersible, vertical turbine, and jet pumps and can expertly recommend either repair or replacement of your well pump. 

Perry’s Pump Repair Can Help 

The Perry’s Pump Repair team can investigate your brown well water issue and provide a customized solution plan to help you get your well water running clear again, whether through water treatment or well system repair or replacement. We offer emergency pump repair services, backed by over 30 years of experience. You do not have to live with brown well water! Contact us today for a quote or to schedule a service call with our expert technicians.