We use our tap water a lot, all for different purposes, such as washing up and drinking. However, it’s not uncommon for problems to occur with your tap water. It can become contaminated even by a simple trigger, and this can have pretty bad consequences if you don’t seek help from a professional plumber immediately. Contaminated tap water is mainly a problem when it comes to drinking as it can cause illness. Although it’s quite rare to encounter contaminated tap water, it still happens, and you should be aware of what the signs are and how to act on these.
Problems and consequences
One of the most known about problems in tap water, is lead. Lead is prominent in brass plumbing, which can sometimes lead to lead poisoning in the water system. It’s not actually very common in the UK but it can still generate from brass pipes. Britain’s tap water however is known for being one of the safest there is.
The surrounding environment is often what determines problems that come into tap water. This means that sometimes pollutants and chemicals creep into the system, therefore making our tap water unsafe.
How to notice a problem
Even if you aren’t noticing anything unusual, there’s no harm in testing your tap water. This may flag up something early and allow you to detect it and get it solved before it becomes too much of an issue. The quality of your water can change at any time and you can encounter problems in the system when you least expect it.
Problems are often visual, such as discolouration or cloudy water coming from your taps. Cloudy water is actually pretty normal as it comes from air bubbles. The way to test it is to leave it to stand for a few seconds and gradually the cloudiness should disappear and it should become clear again. This will indicate that the tap water is safe and it should clear pretty soon. It’s only a problem if when you run the tap water and it’s cloudy, it stays that way.
Problems can also be noticed by smell or taste. For example, your tap water may smell or taste stagnant, which can indicate a blockage somewhere in the system. Sometimes this is just from the pipes and not the water, which is why we recommend testing a different tap in the house to decipher this. If the problem remains, you should seek help immediately and refrain from drinking or using the tap water for any other purposes.
Why you must contact a plumber immediately
As briefly mentioned, if your tap water is contaminated, this can become dangerous and a harm to you should you drink it. As soon as you notice something unusual, try out some of the things above and if it does not clear, contact a professional plumber who will then be able to advise you and visit your home to help and fix the problem.
For more information or if you are seeking help from a professional plumber, simply get in touch with us by calling 01226201955 or 07850502652 and we will do our best to advise you and offer the best solution.
