What's in the water?

Over the past few weeks I have noticed something strange about the water in the town where I live and work.

I live in the North East of England, and have done for almost twenty years. Over that time I have noticed a number of changes, but this one, I think, is definitely out of the ordinary.

I drink a lot of tea, and so use a kettle a lot. I also like to have the taste just right, and have perfected making the "perfect cuppa".

However, around three weeks ago I scrubbed the kettle at work to get rid of the limescale buildup, which is normal for this area of the country. Just one week later I found myself doing the same thing - scrubbing the kettle to get rid of excessive buildup of limescale. Normally I wouldn't do a re-scrub for at least two or three months.

Obviously, I felt a little irritated by the extra limescale, and at the time didn't really wonder why there would be such an excess in limescale being deposited inside the kettle.

Over the past few days though, the water has tasted funny and has made my "cuppa" taste odd. I looked in the kettle and noticed that the limescale is nice and thick again, but this time, it isn't the usual grey/white colour. Instead it is a brown colour. At first I thought it could be rusty pipes, and checked them, and there is nothing wrong with them.

I have looked at the kettle itself and it isn't broken in any way.

According to my water provider, there isn't a problem with the supply either. Yet, the limescale in the kettle is brown and looks like it is months old.

At home, I scrubbed the kettle there too, and just recently the limescale buildup is much more than usual, but it hasn't turned brown yet...

It is worth noting that the water coming from the taps doesn't smell funny, is perfectly clear, and seems normal. It doesn't taste right though, and it is leaving these oddly coloured deposits in my kettle.

Does anyone have any ideas? Is anyone seeing the same thing?



(if this is in the wrong forum, would a mod mind moving it please?)

Try flilling the tub or a large bucket with tap water to really get a feel of what color it is. Take a ph tester to it, and last but not least you could have it tested at your local lab.

Where I used to live, the water would literally make my stomach go acid. My stomach's never been the same....

reply to post by dampnickers


Did you have an interruption in your water supply over the cold spell , did you have your water cut off at any stage over those few weeks ?

reply to post by dampnickers


The tap water here in the midlands is often murky and cloudy with tiny floating bits in it, and it tastes horrible.

I wonder......maybe your pipes are not rusty, but maybe the pipes coming from the water source are? Or maybe leaks in the sources pipes? We experience this here from time to time. Old system, underground pipes, leaks develop. Eventually we are giving a do not drink advisory, or a boil water advisory until the affected section of pipes can be repaired and flushed out. Anyway, I don't drink the water out of my tap. Too much chlorine in it and the water doesn't quench our thirsts. Intead it dries our mouths out and we are thirstier.

Originally posted by dashen
Try flilling the tub or a large bucket with tap water to really get a feel of what color it is. Take a ph tester to it, and last but not least you could have it tested at your local lab.

I sometimes enjoy a good bath, and last week, the water looked blue. My bathroom has no window, and the room is painted walls and ceiling in magnolia, and the room is lit by halogen spots, so I cannot sugest why the water would look blue.
Good idea about having it tested. Although my water provider, are likely the ones to do this, and they have already told me that there is nothing wrong with the supply...

Originally posted by UmbraSumus
reply to post by dampnickers

 

Did you have an interruption in your water supply over the cold spell , did you have your water cut off at any stage over those few weeks ?

There has been no interruption in supply over the last few years. I live in a part of England that sits on an aquifer, and I have never known the supply to be cut off. The pipes into the building are all buried underground and are unlikely to have frozen, especially as there has been no drop in pressures, etc.

reply to post by john124


I cannot say I have noticed the water being murky, or to have bits in it, but there is time yet...

It is a wonder to think that in an age where we have so much purification technology at our disposal, we cannot seem to get clear, clean water from our taps.

reply to post by dampnickers


I would buy a new tea pot if I were you. After you buy your new tea pot, cut your old one open and look at it closely.

Make sure your tea pot is not rusting from the inside. And make sure scrubbing the calcium deposits did not agitate this rust.

Are you using a stainless steal tea pot?

Are you using a new dish detergent?

As previously noted, you should fill your bath tub up with water and a bucket, and inspect for weird stuff.

Also you can boil some water in a sauce pan all the way down to see whats left behind.

I bet you have medicine in your water. You probably also have toxic waste in it as well. I heard they even put some type of fluoride in the water. And let us not forget bleach. Lots of bleach in the water.

Anyways, I hope you figure out your tea kettle problem.

Originally posted by dampnickers


I drink a lot of tea, and so use a kettle a lot. I also like to have the taste just right, and have perfected making the "perfect cuppa".

Anything that interferes with your cuppa tea is just so unsettling .

Death of a loved one
Divorce
Moving house

....... cup of tea that tastes funny .

reply to post by UmbraSumus


Star! Best laugh I've had all night - and it was about me...

ah, the water table is dropping and limescale is because the water table is declining into more thicker water. nothing unusual. except... well, you drink that stuff.... dude.... get a purifier... your in england - here in states thats a sort of like toxic sludge.