Blue Well Water: Why is My AZ Well Water Discolored?

When it’s over 100 degrees outside, there is nothing more refreshing than turning on the tap for some cool water. However, there is nothing as frustrating as opening that tap to discover that your water isn’t as clear as it should be. Blue well water and discolored well water is very common in several residential water well systems in the southwest. Whether due to corroding pipes or the type of plumbing fixtures we have, sometimes contacting a residential well pump repair business in phoenix is needed to inspect the water well for problems that lead to this undesirable result.

There are a few reasons why water well pours out of a tap different colors or not as clear as it should. IN some cases, it’s due to corrosion or the pipes or a build-up of elements inside the pipe that can cause this to occur. Other instances are due to the type of plumbing fixtures you have inside the home. Noted below are a few of the most popular reasons why well water is blue or not as clear as you’d expect.

Reason #1 – Build-up of Copper in the well water

The most popular reason that blue well water exists is due to excessive build-up of copper in the well or the storage tanks. In some instances, the build-up of copper is due to excess copper in the underground water supply. When the water is pumped through the pipes from the underground well, it is distributed to a storage tank. As this water sits stagnant in the tank, the copper minerals will react with the other minerals in the water and will actually change the tint of the water to a light shade of blue. In most situations, the discolored blue well water will be accompanied by a metallic taste in the water. Although lower levels of copper in water are very good for your body, higher levels more than 2 mg/L can be toxic.

Reason #2 – Water well pipes are corroding

Many older well systems utilize copper plumbing pipe to distribute well water from the ground to the storage tanks and directly to each faucet or water outlet. As these pipes age, they the copper tends to wear off. When well water pipes corrode, the materials from which they are made will flake off the inner pipe until eventually they break. The only outlet is to release into the water that ends up being stored in the tank. There are several treatments for aging pipes if they are discovered early enough, however, when they begin to corrode, they will need to be replaced before they cause more damage or release other potentially harmful elements into the water supply.

Reason #3 – Bronze fixtures are installed

Contrary to popular belief, blue well water is not always caused by well-related issues. In some instances, bronze found on plumbing fixtures can also contaminate the water supply. Bronze is very similar to copper in the way that it holds up to water. One problem that southwest water supply often has is excessive calcium deposits found in the water. It’s often referred to as hard water. When hard water reacts with bronze, it can cause discoloration in the water.

In all of the examples noted above, proper service and maintenance can detect these problems before they get out of control. If you have a blue well water issue or are have metallic tasting water, contact a Phoenix water well company to inspect and repair your well water supply before the situation gets worse.

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Is your well water discolored? Call Pump It Up Pump Services, Inc. and let one of our professionals answer your water well questions. Call 623-582-5069 now!