Why Is My Tap Water Rusty?

Nobody wants to fill a cup with rusty, brown water to go along with their breakfast or dinner. Not only is it gross to look at, but rusty water can easily make you feel uncomfortable in your home, as it can be unsafe to drink. You understandably want to aks, why is my tap water rusty?

Rusty pipes can explain why your tap water is rusty, as many homes still have metal pipes. Corroded water heaters can also discolor your tap water and make it look rusty, especially if the anode rod has gone bad. A water main break can make your tap water look rusty, as it gets filled with sediment and minerals. 

Tree roots can also cause water mains to burst and fill with soil, creating a rusty look in your tap water. While rusty tap water is often safe to drink once or twice, you shouldn’t regularly consume it. Follow along as we explore why your tap water is rusty and highlight fixes. 

What Causes Rusty Water?

1. Rusty Pipes 

Plumbing fixtures are prone to rust, as they’re typically made of metal and contain water. This creates the perfect storm for rust to form after years of heavy use. That’s especially true if the pipes in your home have been there since long before you moved in.

Plumbing pipes for tap water can sometimes last up to 80 years before they must be replaced. In other cases, they can degrade in as little as 20-25 years. For example, pipes made of galvanized steel are more prone to corrosion in just 20-50 years.

Eventually, rust will come off the pipes and get into your tap water. It costs an average of $150 per linear foot to replace main tap water pipes. Depending on the size of your home, replacing the main tap water pipes costs between $1,500 and $12,000. 

2. Bad Anode Rod

The anode rod is an important part of a water heater. It is essential as it protects water heater from corrosion that can cause problems. Anode rods attract minerals that would otherwise corrode the water heater and affect the water.

By doing so, anode rods eventually become corroded as they’re supposed to. However, you must replace anode rods every 3 to 5 years, as eventually, they will become too corroded. With time, anode rods can’t attract any more bacteria and minerals, and they will instead affect the water heater.

You may need to replace your anode rod sooner than 3-5 years if your home has hard water. Signs like rotten egg odors and rusty water can tell you it’s time to replace the anode rod. If replacing your anode rod doesn’t fix the problem, call a plumber.   

3. Water Main Break

Water main breaks make many people think something is wrong with their plumbing systems. A water main break can discolor water in many homes in the surrounding areas. Once this happens, your water supply can fill with sediment and minerals that make it look rusty. 

While it’s typically safe to drink, it can stain your dishes, clothes, sinks, tub, and shower in some cases. Call your local utility company if you notice a water main break. However, they most likely know about the issue, as they have systems in place to detect such problems.

Utility companies also get bombarded with concerned calls about water main breaks when they occur. Chances are that they’re already working hard to fix the problem. Once it’s fixed, you may need to run your faucets simultaneously to drain the remaining sediment. 

4. Corroded Water Heater

As previously mentioned, water heaters rely on anode rods to prevent corrosion. However, water heaters can become corroded if the anode rod is bad or poorly installed. Once this happens, the inside of the tank will become full of rust.

This eventually seeps into the water that gets distributed throughout your house. Not only can this cause rusty water, but it can also damage the water heater. Corrosion can lead to extensive leaks that can damage your walls and flooring.

This leads to expensive repairs, as water damage often costs thousands of dollars to repair. The only way to fix a heavily corroded water heater is to replace it, especially if it’s 8-12 years old or older. 

5. Tree Root Damage

Many homeowners love having trees as close to their houses as possible, however, this can cause many problems, as tree roots can burst through water lines. Once this happens, the root can cause extensive damage and cause soil to get into the water line. 

While the water may appear rusty, it’s discolored because of soil. This makes the water appear brown and gross, which understandably concerns many homeowners. Call a plumbing company’s emergency line right away if you notice brown water seemingly out of nowhere. 

You can largely prevent this problem if you avoid planting trees within 10-15 feet of your house. Unfortunately, homeowner insurance doesn’t always cover tree root damage in plumbing lines. 

Is Rusty Tap Water Safe To Drink?

It’s unsafe to continually drink rusty tap water over long periods. However, there isn’t much to suggest that drinking rusty tap water once or twice will harm you. Even still, it’s worth avoiding rusty tap water, as it likely contains iron oxide.

That’s especially true if your tap water appears discolored because of rusty pipes. Rusty pipes may also contain bacteria and harmful materials, like lead. Lead poisoning contributes to many problems, such as abdominal pain, extreme fatigue, and seizures.

It can also stunt a child’s growth and severely impair cognition. The worst-case scenario is that lead poisoning can be fatal. Today, most pipes in houses don’t contain lead, but even consuming rust from iron can be harmful.  

Summing It Up

If your tap water is rusty, it’s likely because of corrosion within your pipes. This can also happen if your water heater’s anode rod is overly corroded and has gone bad. Otherwise, rusty tap water is often due to excessive water heater corrosion or tree root damage in your main water line. 

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