Our house is in the country and has a drilled water well. The throughput is incredible according to the home inspector. Recently, since I've been running new copper pipes for the bathroom and kitchen, we've noticed that we get dark brown water coming out of the spigot when we first turn on the water. I don't know if that has something to do with the fact that I had to drain the water system out a few times when I was soldering or maybe it has something to do with the well itself since we haven't had any rain for quite some time now. I might also add that the house was not occupied for a couple of years before we bought it a couple of months ago. We've been using the water but probably not as much as you would if you actually stayed there....we're between two places until we get the house ready to move in. Any thoughts on the brown water?

You never indicated that you have had the water tested.

And to get a proper testing you check the with the lab for details, but you want to let the water run long enough that you get fresh water.

After the lab says that it is safe to drink you can do a quick check on the sediment by filling a clear gal or 5 gal jug.

Then let it set for a couple of days and see how much sediment you have at the bottom.

You may need a sediment filter.

But there are many contaiments that can be in the water so it needs to be tested first.

But even if the water is "clean" it will still have stuff in it and can settle out.

I am on very clean city water, but installed a shower that had been roughed in 10 years earlier. It was a drop from overhead lines and I was realy surprised to see all of the stuff that had settled in there. So that might be what you are seeing.

Thanks Bill...we had the home inspector test the water but haven't seen what kind of grade it got. We're playing the waiting game right now....Didn't Bob Eubanks host that show?

ROWIGA - hi, this same thing - the brown water after installing new pipes - came up not too long ago in this thread. You may want to try a search and see what it was...seems like it was some sort of reaction from the new and old pipes. I don't remember if it was Erik or Doug who pointed it out. Good luck! Jim D/West Point, VA

.......a "Rusty" water problem may be a galvanized nipple in the new copper supply lines.....galvanic action rusts the iron pipe.....

check Hot Water Heater connections or tub fill spout .......

Well that's pretty interesting. My entire "new" run is copper until I get to the tub spout. Right now I have a black nipple there that I put in temporarily just to get usable water to wash our hands and such. The water heater has galvanized coming out of it which runs into plastic which runs into copper. So, could the black nipple be causing the problem? I figured that when I replace the water heater, which could be soon, I would take out the plastic and galvanized and replace them with copper.

......the Black iron pipe will quickly corrode connected to the copper/brass tub valve....leaving an ORANGE color to the water that soon runs clear.........

....Galvanic action and Noble metals.......

The Heater is isolated by the Plastic(?) piping.......so the pipes here should be ok........

But of course the water quality from an individual well needs to be tested......