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1. Why is my drinking water discolored (yellow, brown, black)?

Water main breaks, firefighting activities, extremely high system demand, and the start-up or shut-down of a water treatment facility can increase the velocity at which water travels through water mains. If the water’s speed becomes great enough, iron and manganese sediment lying on the bottom of the mains may get stirred up, resulting in discolored water.

2. Is discolored water from these activities safe to drink?

Discolored water caused by iron and manganese oxide sediment is safe to drink. During such discolored water episodes, your water continues to meet or surpass all state and federal drinking water standards for public health and safety. ACWD cleans its water mains annually to remove sediment, which helps to minimize discolored water episodes. For further details regarding this program, visit the District's Main Cleaning Program page.

3. What should I do if my drinking water becomes discolored?

If your drinking water becomes discolored, avoid using your washing machine and dishwasher until the water clears. To remove the discoloration, flush the pipes in your house using the following procedure:
1. Run the outside front hose faucet at full force for a few minutes or until the water clears.

2. If the water does not clear after a few minutes, wait another hour and repeat the process until the water is clear at the outside front hose faucet.

3.Flush the cold water faucets throughout the house. Start by flushing the cold water faucet in the bathtub. If you are concerned about wasting water, water the backyard from the backyard hose bib for several minutes or until the water clears.

4. After the tub or backyard faucet runs clear, flush all of the other cold water household faucets; starting from the front of the house (nearest the street), then the rest of the cold water faucets within the home.

5. If necessary, remove faucet aerators and clear any particles and then reinstall them.
If the water still fails to clear, contact ACWD at (510) 668-6500.

4. After flushing my pipes, my cold water runs clear but my hot water is still discolored. What should I do?

If discolored water has been drawn into the hot water system, the hot water can continue to be used until the discoloration dissipates and is no longer an aesthetic issue. This is generally preferred to draining and refilling the water heater which may require expert help (calling a plumber). How to flush a water heater

5. My clothes have been stained by discolored water. What can I do to remove the stains?

You may use commonly available stain removal products that can be purchased at any supermarket. Contact ACWD at (510) 668-6500 if you need further assistance.