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When water comes out of the tap, it isn’t always as transparent as you’d expect it to be. There are a number of things that can make it go decidedly “off-colour.”

If you find your own supply suddenly discolours or consistently looks undrinkable it’s certainly worth keeping an eye on and taking action.

Here are some examples of what to watch out for:

• Cloudy or white water: This can be due to tiny air bubbles being trapped in the water. If you run the tap for a while, it should clear.
• Brown, black or orange water: Often an indication of older pipework. When sediment gets disturbed, which can happen if there is a burst pipe or valves are open or closed somewhere within the network, this can lead to this type of discolouration. Running the taps for a while should see the water becoming clearer again.
• Strange tasting water: If your water tastes metallic, plastic, salty or woody – or just plain unpleasant – this is a sure sign that something isn’t right. The nasty taste may disappear if you run the taps. But, if not, you should definitely contact your water supplier.
• Visible particles: Again, this may be down to older pipework, but you may experience iron or manganese particles appearing in the water. If this persists, get in touch with your water supplier.
• Blue, pink or brightly coloured water: This could indicate that your plumbing is up the spout. This is often caused by back siphonage, i.e. your water starts to flow in the wrong direction, back into other parts of your own plumbing system or even into the mains network.

If in doubt and all else fails…. It’s time to have a water filter installed!

If you are concerned about the quality of your drinking water – if it doesn’t look right or doesn’t taste right – the best answer is to invest in a water filter.

A good quality water filtration system will ensure you have contaminant-free, pure-tasting drinking water on tap, whenever it’s required.

In this day and age, it’s not just funny coloured or cloudy looking water that you have to contend with. The mains supply is full of toxic, invisible substances that are a serious threat to health.