Why is the water brown?

Brown water is caused by iron and other materials stirred up in the water mains. This can be caused by a water main break, Street Department street sweepers pulling water from the hydrants, or Water Department crews flushing out hydrants, etc. The water is safe to drink, but do not wash whites, since the clothes will become discolored. If you are experiencing this problem, simply turn on any cold water faucet (do not turn on the hot water faucet), and let the cold water run for a few minutes. This should clean out the residue in your service line. If the water does not clear up, please contact Water Quality at 219-462-6174, Option 5.

Show All Answers

1. How do I arrange a tour of the plant facilities?
2. How do I obtain information on the chemical analysis of the water at the tap?
3. I am getting white scale on my dishes. What is causing this? How do I get rid of it?
4. I can taste chlorine in my water. Is this a problem?
5. I just washed my clothes and the whites are orange. Why? What can I do about it?
6. The water pressure in my area is low. Why? Whom should I contact?
7. What is the hardness of the water? And what about iron, fluoride, and chlorine?
8. Why is my water cloudy?
9. Why is the water brown?