Despite being of a high standard, drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain small amounts of substances such as naturally occurring minerals, fine particles, dissolved compounds and low levels of microbes. At the same time, the water can still be suitable for human consumption and readily meet drinking water standards or guidelines, as is the case with our drinking water supply.
In line with experiences of water companies throughout the world, City West Water receives feedback from customers who require information or have concerns with regard to the quality of the water supply. Although the issues can often be addressed over the phone, we are pleased to attend and deal with instances that require local remediation.
Most of the water quality concerns reported by customers can be grouped into categories such as white water, brown water, taste / odour, staining and blue-green water.
White Water (water with a milky or cloudy appearance) is generally due to the presence of tiny air bubbles in the water. Commonly this is associated with maintenance and repair works, when air can enter and become trapped in water pipes. It can also originate in private hot water systems. A glass of white water will commence to clear from the bottom as the tiny bubbles rise to the surface. Air in water is harmless, and in practice the white water soon goes away by itself.
Brown Water (water with a brown / muddy appearance, possibly containing particles) can be due to presence of sediments in water mains, which become suspended when there is a change in the direction or speed of water flow. Such changes in water flow may be associated with the opening or closing of valves or bringing a mains back into service after repairs. Brown water can also result from older, rusting internal galvanised-iron water pipes. A call to City West Water will assist in identifying the cause and may include arranging for the local water main to be flushed.
Taste / Odour in water can occur occasionally and is generally apparent as a chlorine-like or earthy-musty taste or odour.
We are conscious of customers’ awareness of chlorine presence in the water supply and we therefore keep chlorine dosing levels to a minimum. However, fluctuations in chlorine levels can occur from time to time, largely due to changes in water demands and hence flow rates. For drinking purposes, the level of chlorine can be largely reduced by placing the water in an open container and allowing it to stand for a couple of hours.
Earthy-musty taste / odours can occur in areas where water flows are slower due to reduced consumption. The instances should be reported to City West Water and are then generally cleared by arranging for the local water main to be flushed.
Staining of fittings such as sinks and shower bases is usually brown or blue, and is generally a reflection of the type of internal plumbing material present (for example, galvanised-iron or copper pipes).
From time to time some customers report pink staining of fittings. This is caused by bacterial growth on damp surfaces in areas that are generally not well ventilated.
Staining of washing can be caused by the presence of sediments in water mains or rust from older, internal galvanised-iron pipes. A call to City West Water will assist in identifying the cause. Sediments in water mains are cleared by City West Water arranging for the local water main to be flushed. Where the staining is caused by rust from internal pipes, the householder can attempt to manage the problem by selective flushing of internal taps or seeking advice from a plumber.
Blue-Green WaterOn a seemingly random basis, customers at a small number of properties report blue-green water (water that has a cloudy to blue-green appearance, possibly containing blue-green particles, and having an unpleasant bitter taste). This is caused by accelerated corrosion of customers’ internal copper water pipes and appears to be restricted to cold water pipes. Blue-green water must not be consumed (by drinking or in the preparation of food) as it can cause vomiting. Prolonged consumption of water containing elevated copper levels can have adverse health effects.
As blue-green water originates from a property’s internal copper pipes, customers can manage the problem by flushing their tap with fresh mains water. This means running their tap until the water becomes "crystal clear".
In certain cases, corrosion of copper pipes can lead to perforation and leakage.
At this stage neither the cause of, nor solution to, this international and Australia-wide copper corrosion phenomenon are known.
City West Water has sponsored CSIRO research into copper pipe corrosion. While testing has shown no evidence that the quality of the water has caused the problem, we are working with the Australian water industry to further research the cause and means for preventing copper pipe problems being experienced Australia-wide. This research, conducted by the CSIRO (and funded jointly by Water Services Association of Australia and the Copper Development Association), has led to the development of a promising pipe treatment that appears to be effective in stopping established copper corrosion for at least several months. Further work is being undertaken to confirm the practical applicability of the process.
We can assist customers experiencing copper pipe corrosion by testing copper levels in their water and providing advice on how to best manage the issue of blue-green water. If you are experiencing blue-green water or have other water quality concerns, please call City West Water on 1800 132 642 for further information and advice.