Chlorine is a disinfectant which has been used for many years in the water industry to make water safe to drink. Disinfection plays an important role in protecting public health by killing harmful bacteria. Using chlorine is better than using other disinfectants as it is effective from our treatment works right up to your tap. Your water may occasionally smell or taste of chlorine after we have made a change to our water treatment processes. The level of chlorine dosed into your drinking water is carefully controlled and monitored. We strive to keep the level of chlorine constant. Unavoidable operational changes at our treatment works, or in our distributing pipes, may result in a slight taste of chlorine. Chlorine leaves our treatment works at less than one milligram per liter (one part per million), the level recommended by the World Health Organization. By comparison, water found in swimming pools typically contains 3 milligrams per liter of chlorine which is easy to smell . Treating drinking water with chlorine poses no risk to health. If you’re concerned about the taste then a good way to let the chlorine evaporate is to fill a jug with water and refrigerate it overnight. Water kept like this should be treated as a perishable food and be consumed within 24 hours. Domestic water filters or jug filters (both of which can contain activated carbon) can be used to remove chlorine from tap water. These filters should be used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. There is no reason to use either type of filter on health grounds, as tap water containing chlorine is perfectly safe to drink.
This is often caused by high numbers of harmless micro-organisms, particularly fungi. Micro-organisms occur naturally in all water types and their numbers increase during the summer. This growth can be a particular problem in domestic systems, especially if the water has been allowed to stagnate.
In addition, when your hot water system warms your cold pipes, favorable conditions are created for microbial growth. Fungal growths or slimes may occur around taps and other water outlets, and in some cases be seen hanging from tap spouts. While unappealing, these growths do not pose a risk to health.
The most common cause of brown, orange or yellow water is iron particles or small rust fragments suspended in your tap water.
Iron can occur naturally in raw water sources and iron salts can be chemically dosed into water during treatment. This encourages the unwanted solids to stick together making it is easier to remove them. The disturbance of iron deposits in some mains can also lead to iron particles in water. Iron deposits can be caused by the corrosion of cast iron pipes, or by dissolved iron in the water falling out of solution.
Changes within the mains network, such as vibrations through the ground or the use of a hydrant, can dislodge the particles as they move around the pipework. Your plumbing at home can also be a source of discolorations, particularly if it has undergone recent work. While not harmful, you should avoid the use of this discoloured water until it has cleared.
The taste of the water may not be of the usual standard and it may stain clothing. To potentially identify the cause of the discoloured water you may want to confer with a neighbor. If the discoloration is isolated to your tap, it is likely that there is an internal plumbing issue, but if your neighbor is also affected it may be the supplying mains. In either case, allow the system to settle for one hour and then run the affected tap for two to three minutes.
Should the issue persist, contact us for further advice and assistance.
If your property has been unoccupied for a while, taking the following precautions can help ensure your water remains safe, clean, and pleasant-tasting:
1. Flush the System - Run the cold kitchen tap for five minutes, then allow the system to stand for one hour to clear out stagnant water.
2. Inspect Pipe Proximity - Check if hot and cold water pipes are too close as this can lead to warming and bacterial growth. Insulate if needed.
3. Disinfect Thoroughly - Use a chlorine-based disinfectant to clean taps and fixtures, removing fungal growth, biofilm, or slime.
4. Use Water Regularly - Keep water flowing in the system to avoid stagnation and bacterial buildup.
5. Appliance Safety - Close in-line control valves on dishwashers and washing machines when not in use; make sure each appliance has a properly working non-return valve to prevent backflow into the drinking water supply; inspect hoses and connections, as wear and tear can affect water quality.
6. Taste Issues - If an earthy or musty taste persists, consider replacing plastic pipework, which can contribute to odour or taste.
7. Outdoor Tap Protection - Ensure all external taps with hosepipe attachments have non-return valves to prevent contamination.
8. Regular Maintenance - Periodically inspect your entire internal plumbing system to keep it functioning efficiently and safely.
An odour or taste from your tap water can be caused by chlorine reacting with particular substances or materials to produce new chlorine compounds. Metallic domestic pipework needs to have been installed in a particular order: galvanized iron, iron, lead and copper. If it is in any other order, then metal compounds may be broken down and released from the pipework.
The fitting of a domestic water softener can cause metals from the pipework to enter the water supply, particularly if the water is very soft. Metallic compounds are normally harmless to health unless levels increase. If you are concerned about a metallic taste and odour contact us immediately for further assistance.
Below are some suggestions which might help solve the problem:
This is likely to be caused by trapped air in the pipeline or dissolved chalk particles.
This means that air can get into the water supply following a repair on our water pipe network, or by a pocket of air becoming trapped in the pipework inside your home. Water with air in, has a cloudy or milky white appearance. This is because of the concentration of thousands of tiny air bubbles that make the water look white. A fine white sediment is formed when chalk deposits rise from the natural minerals found in water. Drinking water supplied by WASCO is generally described as hard, and has a higher concentration of natural minerals than soft water. The presence of undissolved chalk has a powdery white appearance. In each case, there is no risk to health.
If you have a fitted domestic water softener, it can release chalky white pieces of scale over time. It is advisable that any domestic softeners are fitted downstream of the drinking water tap, and are maintained according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Find out if the cause is air or chalk using our Glass Test: Fill a glass with water from the cold kitchen tap and watch how it clears. Water with air in can take up to ten minutes to clear, and will clear from the bottom of the glass upwards. Water containing chalk takes an hour or more to clear, with the glass clearing from the top downwards. A fine sediment will then be left on the bottom of the glass.
Any white water in the mains network should clear within two to three hours. After this time the tap should be run for two to three minutes to check that the problem has cleared. However, if the problem persists please contact us for further advice.