Is it the utility or your house?
Check a few taps. If every cold tap in the house runs brown, and the neighbors report the same, the cause is likely in the public system, such as a main break, flushing or a repair that stirred sediment. If only the hot water is brown, the water heater is the likely source. If only one tap is brown, look at that branch.
Run the cold water for several minutes. If it clears, it was stagnant or disturbed sediment. If it stays brown, call the utility and tell them how many taps are affected.
| Where it shows | Likely cause | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| All taps, cold and hot, after street work | Disturbed sediment in the main | Run cold taps until clear, call the utility |
| Only hot taps | Rust or sediment in the heater | Water heater repair |
| One tap at first use in the morning | Corroded fixture or branch | Flush, then inspect |
| Persistent, house-wide, older plumbing | Corroding galvanized pipes | Repiping assessment |
Old pipes and rust
Galvanized steel pipe corrodes from the inside, sheds rust into the flow and loses pressure as the walls narrow. If the house is old and the brown water is a pattern, you may be looking at repiping. We look first with a pressure test and an inspection, and tell you honestly if a repair will do.
The water heater
A tank heater collects sediment and its anode rod wears out over time. Brown or rusty hot water, rumbling noises and a heater past its second decade point to a heater near the end. Flushing may help short term. A leaking base means replacement, as described in water heater replacement.
What to do right now
- Do not use brown water for laundry, since rust stains clothes.
- Run cold water for several minutes and check whether it clears.
- Avoid drinking discolored water until it runs clear.
- Tell your utility if the neighbors are affected.
- Photograph the water in a clear glass.
Is it safe?
Rust itself is mostly an aesthetic issue, but discolored water can signal a problem that matters, such as a main break or pipes in poor condition. We do not make health claims, and we are not a lab. If you are concerned, ask your utility for its testing information and consider independent testing. Tucker's water is Chattahoochee River water treated at the Scott Candler plant, and DeKalb County Watershed Management publishes an annual report you can read.
Source of discoloration
Utility, heater or pipes decide the work.
House age
Older plumbing is more likely to be corroded.
Access
Open crawlspaces help.
Scope
Flush, repair or replace.
For your real number, call (770) 214-4545.
Brown water at home?
Call and tell us which taps are affected. That points us to the cause.
A simple test sequence
Fill a clear glass from the cold tap
Note the color and whether it clears after a minute of running.
Repeat with hot water
If only hot is brown, the water heater is the likely source.
Check other taps
Try a tap in a different room. If all are affected, the cause is upstream.
Ask a neighbor
If neighbors see it too, the cause may be on the street.
Record the details
Take photos and write down the time. This helps the utility and your plumber.
What a plumber can do
If the cause is inside the house, a plumber can flush the lines, check the water heater and test the pressure. A section of corroded pipe can be replaced. If the whole system is corroded, repiping is the lasting fix.
The decision turns on evidence. We look at the pipe material, the age of the house, the pattern of leaks and the flow at several fixtures. We do not recommend a repipe from a single stain.
Stains and fixtures
Rust can stain tubs, sinks and laundry. Avoid chlorine bleach on rust stains in white loads, since it can set them. Use a rust remover recommended for the fabric or fixture. Replace filter cartridges after an event and run the lines until the water is clear.
Water filters and what they do
A sediment filter at the point of entry can trap rust particles from the street or from old pipes. It will not fix corroding pipes, and it needs regular cartridge changes. If you use a filter, replace the cartridge after any event that stirs sediment, since a clogged filter cuts pressure and can hold contamination.
When to test the water
If you are concerned about what is in your water, ask your utility for its latest quality report and consider an independent laboratory test. A plumber is not a laboratory, and we do not make health claims. We can tell you whether the discoloration comes from your pipes, your heater or the supply, and what repair would address it.
Quick reference for brown water
Run cold taps for a few minutes. If it clears, wait and check again in an hour. If only hot water is brown, call about the water heater. If all taps stay brown, call your utility and take photos. Avoid laundry until the water runs clear. Replace filter cartridges after the problem passes.
If brown water returns repeatedly, the cause is probably in your pipes or heater. That is when an assessment, not another flush, is the right step.
Sources and standards
For water quality information, use your utility's annual report, and see the EPA drinking water guidance. Pipe replacement follows the International Plumbing Code (IPC).
Local note: who to call in your town
In DeKalb County, including Tucker and Stone Mountain, water quality questions go to DeKalb County Watershed Management. In Gwinnett, including Norcross, they go to Gwinnett County Water Resources.
We handle the plumbing inside your property and tell you honestly when the cause is outside it.
Questions we hear from homeowners
Work on the main can stir sediment. Run cold taps until clear.
It is mostly cosmetic, but discoloration can signal other problems. Ask your utility for test results.
A magnet sticks to galvanized steel but not to copper or plastic. A plumber can confirm.
Flushing can help if sediment is the issue. A very old heater may need replacement.
Your water utility first, then a plumber for problems inside the house.