Water can become discoloured for a number of reasons, but problems are commonly caused by the disturbance of sediments within water mains. Such disturbances can be caused by changes in flow following a burst main, routine maintenance work or even by the fire service when they use water from fire hydrants.
Sediments in water mains often contain an increased level of iron derived from cast iron mains, giving a brown/orange colour to the water. The presence of iron may not be aesthetically pleasing, but represents no health hazard.
If you and your neighbours are getting discoloured water from the tap, this could indicate a problem with the water main.
Occasionally, discoloured water can occur because of the condition of private service pipes or internal plumbing, particularly in older properties. If this is the case, you may need to contact your local plumber.
What can be done to resolve this?
Our water mains are assessed and flushed routinely as part of our planned preventative maintenance programme, to remove the sediments which can cause discoloured water.
Running your tap for a short period should resolve the problem. However, if the water does not clear or occurs repeatedly, please contact Anglian Water immediately on 08457 145 145