Rusty looking tap water

Very odd looking rusty water and it won't quit. Water department came out as no visible leaks on street. Replaced meter, took samples. I have copper piping. Listened at the curb line, no lead there. It has to be coming from the supply in the street and not one other person is home on the street to ask if their water is also dirty. Well there is one but too scary to ask. One house owner died. One is being rehabbed and those are the closest. Water Tech told me to call my plumber but the house is completely copper pipe except the sewer pipe so what is there to ask him? Can't get him on the phone either. No answer on one line. No message except his mail box is full. What could possibly be going on? The Water Dept is fixing lead pipe three streets over by jackhammering into basements but the water guy said it "can't be that" "different line". I am going to buy some bottled water now. More bottled water. I don't drink the stuff they sell here.

--108.24.xx.xx

Rusty looking tap water (by Allym [NJ]) Posted on: Oct 13, 2021 12:12 PM
Message:

that should read "listened at curb no leak there." --108.24.xx.xx

Rusty looking tap water (by Dave [MO]) Posted on: Oct 13, 2021 12:27 PM
Message:

If you have copper from the meter and no leaks from the water meter to the house. I think Water Dept. guy is wrong and the city's water main lines are connected under ground and as they jackhammer rust is breaking off city's galvanized water line and this rust is flowing into the main water lines making its way to your water service line into your house.

--173.47.xxx.xxx

Rusty looking tap water (by Robert J [CA]) Posted on: Oct 13, 2021 12:58 PM
Message:

Take a look at your water meter. It has a "Flow Meter", a red triangle shape that will spin when water is flowing out of the meter. It also had a clock type hand that will move as water is being used.

If your meter can't be read, get a engine statoscope, a metal probe with tubes going into your ears. You can hear water flowing.

--47.155.xx.xxx

Rusty looking tap water (by MAP [NY]) Posted on: Oct 13, 2021 2:08 PM
Message:

Main break! We had rusty water at one of our duplexes a month ago. Turns out it was the water dept and one of their pipes blew up. --174.208.x.xx

Rusty looking tap water (by Allym [NJ]) Posted on: Oct 13, 2021 3:35 PM
Message:

Thank you all for helping my stress ! Also caused high priced but smart plumber. He said he had a call yesterday from another customer with same issue and lead pipe changing was happening on her street.

Dave MO, yes I agree as there is a ton of galvanized pipe around here. My plumber said to ignore what the water tech said which is to run it full every fifteen minutes. High priced plumber said to wait until neighbors get home and let them get their share of the rust too.

I went to supermarket and got 10 gallons of distilled which is what I drink and share with critters so I can wait this out. Looks like it might be ongoing. It's a subcontract to another company so the Water Works will not know when and where this is happening. --108.24.xx.xx

Rusty looking tap water (by Robert,OntarioCanada [ON]) Posted on: Oct 13, 2021 4:34 PM
Message:

It is common for the fire hydrants to be flushed where for a short time the rust will be freed up. After a few days the water should clear up. Once a year they flush out and test fire hydrants where for a few days the water is has rust. The only option is install a main water filter or wait until rust is cleared. --99.236.xxx.xxx

Rusty looking tap water (by on [WI]) Posted on: Oct 13, 2021 7:25 PM
Message:

Hey Ally plan on complaints for faucet low flows and some dripping .

Alot of pipe connecting glue for the plastic pipe will be in the aqau lines. --207.200.xxx.xx

Rusty looking tap water (by on [WI]) Posted on: Oct 13, 2021 7:39 PM
Message:

Dont drink it til they are done with repairs and then wait a few weeks .

O un screw the areator on your faucet now. Clean it. And check it in a week .

Give us a update in week or so when you have time --207.200.xxx.xx

Rusty looking tap water (by Dave [MO]) Posted on: Oct 13, 2021 7:47 PM
Message:

Ally, you can also flush water threw the outside bibs, I’ve done this on broken water lines, if break and repair is between house and water meter. Flushing the outside hydrant first allows small particles to come out the outside hydrant and not become lodged inside kitchen and bath faucets. --174.210.xxx.xxx

Rusty looking tap water (by Allym [NJ]) Posted on: Oct 13, 2021 8:14 PM
Message:

on and Dave, thanks for the tips about the faucet screens. I did some flushing from the hose bib nearest the street. Right about 7 PM Eastern it was pretty clear. Another thing I am aware of is the flush valve getting dirt in it from brown water. I have not drunk this water since I found out years ago that there is a bacterial cyst in it called cryptosporidium. There is actually a boil water notice for babies and elderly and I guess I qualify for elderly now. I get distilled as it is the cleanest water around but not all tastes good. I buy Poland Spring distilled. Just found out that Legionnaire's Disease bacteria are in little used faucets and our local paper had a big article about it and people should wear masks when using an infrequently used sower head, and change out faucets often. Plumber today mentioned that water heater set below 120 is a prime place for the Legionella to live. Hope you all know about that. --108.24.xx.xx

Rusty looking tap water (by MMIT [VA]) Posted on: Oct 13, 2021 8:17 PM
Message:

A tenant called about brown water a couple weeks ago.

I called the water company and they flushed the lines by opening up the fire hydrants until the water cleared up.

Then tenant ran the tub for a couple minutes until her water cleared up. --70.188.xx.xx

Rusty looking tap water (by Allym [NJ]) Posted on: Oct 14, 2021 12:57 PM
Message:

Thank you MMIT, the water tech did not offer me that. He did ask me if someone had opened the hydrant. That's usually what causes it around here. Usually they do that all summer but now they may be doing it at night thinking that would help people not have dirty water. My water is much clearer this morning. I called them back and they are going to have one of the engineers call me. I think it does trace back to the lead service removal that took place on Tuesday a few blocks from here. Plumber said that would dirty water for a half mile on all sides. There is an empty home across from me and one to the right of that. Elder folks passed in both of those, not from covid, before covid. One is being worked on and the guy was there on Sunday and had a dumpster dropped and I thought it might have broken a connection but it didn't. --108.24.xx.xx

Rusty looking tap water (by Allym [NJ]) Posted on: Oct 14, 2021 5:41 PM
Message:

Two neighbors on the other side of the street have not seen any dirty water in their sinks. I called a plumber to see if he can check the hot water heater to see if it has rust but I am not using the hot water when it runs brown. Washer seemed OK this morning but hose bib still brown and kitchen is tan not clear though it was clear this morning. --108.24.xx.xx

Rusty looking tap water (by Wilma [PA]) Posted on: Oct 15, 2021 5:37 PM
Message:

Miss Ally - check the screens on your washing machine hose inlets, too. I had some gunk get in there after my hubby did a plumbing job elsewhere in the house, and the water ran very slowly. --98.114.xxx.xxx

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