Singapore is one of the leading countries all over the world with an effective water filtration system. Just last week, we talked about how water is processed in Singapore to deliver a clean, potable version right into every tap in the whole country. Included in the discussion is the fact that Public Utilities Board (PUB) follows World Health Organization standards in filtering water from the source. That’s quite enough to make us feel safe to drink water straight from our tap.

Just yesterday, however, a news item came out that discoloured water was spotted by residents in three areas of the country, including one near a primary school. Immediate actions were taken by the PUB and they are currently investigating the cause of the incident.

Not that it’s a major cause for alarm, but today, we’ll talk about the common reasons why we get water discolouration just like what happened yesterday. One surprising and good fact about this is that discolouration does not always lead to health problems. Nevertheless, here are possible reasons why water from the tap gets discoloured.

Air trapped and moving

When temperature changes or plumbing repair work is ongoing, don’t be surprised to see milky or cloudy water from your tap. This is a result of the air trapped and moving within your plumbing network. This does not have any adverse effect on one’s health so don’t panic just yet. All you have to do is to let the bubbles settle for a few minutes to make it look more presentable to drink.

Impurities

Some of the indicators of poor water quality are taste and smell. When visible indicators are absent, you can always rely on your sense of taste and smell to warn you about the danger present before drinking water from your glass. But before you resort to these secondary determinants, do a visual inspection first for particles floating in your glass of water.

These impurities are strong indicators that it’s not safe to drink that glass of water you’re holding. Another sign to look out for is a different color after washing your clothes. A yellowish or brownish stain in your white blouse after soaking it with water could be a shout out that impurities are present.

Plumbing fixture damage

Aside from toilet bowl replacement that you should do at least every two years, one of the main reasons why plumbers are on demand in Singapore is because of the deterioration of our common plumbing fixtures. Since we drink water straight from the tap, we have to be very careful in maintaining these fixtures.

Poor pipe and plumbing fixture maintenance leads to contaminated water. When our faucets get rusty and their parts start to flake, they will endanger our drinking water because of the presence of lead and rubber particles. One way to protect ourselves is to make sure that our pipes are in good shape.

Water Backflow

Another cause for water discolouration is the dreaded backflow that sends all kinds of impurities to our drinking water. When water backflow happens, outdoor contaminants such as dirt from soil, chemicals spilling in our backyard, and other elements that we don’t want to even touch might come in contact with our drinking water. One solution we’d recommend is to install a backflow preventer in your home plumbing system.