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Your water's appearance

• My water looks different from normal, what do I do?
• We supply drinking water to a very high standard, but occasionally water can become discoloured or cloudy in appearance due to a disruption in supply. If you experience any change in how your drinking water looks, then you should contact us on 0800 389 1011 for further advice.

• What causes discoloured water?
• Some water mains are made of iron, and over time mains corrosion deposits can settle out in the mains. If there is a sudden change in the direction or flow of the water in the main these particles can be disturbed. A disruption to the water supply may be attributable to work in the area such as a repair to a burst main, or moving water from one area of supply to another to cope with the changes in demand.
• On some occasions iron in water can stain your laundry. The iron particles in the supply can occasionally cause problems with rust spotting on washing or blocking up of ball valves. These may occur due to a burst main or operational work. This is usually temporary. However, should you be experiencing the problem on a regular basis you should contact us.

• Is discoloured water harmful?
• Although discoloured water is unsightly it is not usually harmful to health. Understandably, because it is not pleasant to look at, you may prefer not to drink it.

• What should I do if my water is discoloured?
• Discolouration usually clears fairly quickly and the process can be helped by running internal taps for a period.

• What is being done to prevent discoloured water occurring?
• We constantly monitor the condition of water mains to help us plan our mains replacement schemes. We also carry out routine flushing of the distribution system.

• My water looks cloudy, what can I do?
• Cloudy water is usually due to the presence of microscopic air bubbles trapped in your supply. These may be caused by a burst main or when we have been carrying out maintenance work in the area. Air in water is completely harmless and in most cases adjusting the internal stoptap will cure the problem. More information about stop taps.

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