The value of a safe water supply is clear everywhere. It is required for the survival of humans, animals, and plants. Water is necessary for all living things. Whenever the water supply is contaminated, it becomes hazardous to one’s health. When polluted, it can no longer support life. Another reason which explains the importance of clean water is that it aids your body in flushing out any toxins that may be present. If you consume contaminated water, your body may have numerous biological responses and damage your digestive and excretory system.

One of the several best methods to protect your household water supply is to examine it on a routine basis, considering potentially hazardous impurities sometimes manifest themselves as discoloration, odd tastes, and smells. You can detect one of these impurities in your water supply if the tap water appears grey. What is grey water? Is grey water dangerous? How can I opt for grey water treatment? We have all these answers for you in this blog:

What Is Grey Water?

Grey water is basically a slightly less clean water that comes out from the washing machine after doing laundry, showers and sinks in the bathroom, and kitchen sinks after doing the dishes. To put it simply, it is the wastewater of washing anything except the toilet and garbage disposal water – that is black water and is more contaminated than the grey water.

Sources of Grey Water

1.     Your Water Supply Might Have Excessive Air in It

Grey water causes may include the presence of too much air in the water supply pipes of your home. Excessive air might cause water to change color into grey, or have a milky as it flows out of the tap. When using water utilities, check for any banging or smashing vibrations or sounds in the plumbing. If you hear any such sounds, it will confirm that you have excessive air in your water supply pipes. There is another test to confirm if you have air in your water supply pipes. This test includes putting a cup of water in the freezer and checking if the air escapes and the grey or foggy look disappears on its own.

2.     There May Be Fungus in Your Water Supply

It’s also possible that the water’s grey color is the consequence of fungal development. Gray slime-producing fungi are usually not found in the water system, but they can be found in your house. They can develop slimy grey or white fungi colonies when they fall on a moist surface of a showerhead or a leaking tap. Water travelling through this slime might turn grey.

Search for grey gunk in toilet aqueducts and bowls, washers and dryers, bathroom tiles, taps, shower curtains, and other locations to see whether this is the case. Fungal grey water causes skin irritation, stomach distress, and discoloration of your bathroom tiles which is why we recommend opting for grey water treatment and resolving the issue as soon as possible. If you detect it, use water, a chemical disinfectant, or a diluted bleach solution to clean the area thoroughly.

3.     You May Have Bacterial Growth in Your Water Supply

A more concerning scenario is that the water is becoming grey due to the development of bacteria in your system. If you have water that is grey, black, white, or reddish brown, your water supply might have sulfur bacteria because this type of bacteria produces a slime of such colors, which changes the water coloration.

The existence of sulfur bacteria in your water is a sign that your water supply has significant quantities of hydrogen sulfide and sulfur. The bacteria itself might not be that harmful for you but using water which may be toxic with high doses of minerals can be dangerous. Additionally, bacterial grey water causes a very strong and bad odor and flavor. So, go for grey water treatment quickly.

4.     Your Water Supply May Have Deposits From Hard Water

Additional sources of having your grey water are when you have hard water running from your water system and it deposits minerals, which turns the water color into grey. Plumbing equipment usually has mineral deposits due to working with hard water with high amounts of minerals. This plumbing equipment may also release such hard water minerals as calcium into the water system during the servicing. These minerals will convert it into hard water, which eventually will turn the water grey. This potential is much more likely if you have recently cleaned your plumbing equipment.

Scale deposits usually show grey or white particles in your water, so look attentively to determine whether the grey hue is due to the minute grey particles floating in your water. Suppose the source of grey water is scale deposits from equipment or hard water. In that case, your grey water treatment process will include using a household water softener to solve this issue and remove the minerals.

What to Do in Case of a Leak?

Having a water leakage is very dangerous for you in multiple ways. It will cause a significant increment in your water bills, and it will expedite mold growth in your home; it will damage your house’s structure through cracks in the walls or scraped paint – depending on the severity of leakage. But if there is a grey water leakage, then it is slightly more concerning. Is grey water dangerous? Yes. Is grey water leakage dangerous? BIG YES! Grey water usually has fungus/bacteria/hard water deposits, which is why it can be more harmful to your house’s structure and your health.

In case of a leak, you should turn off the water supply valve and electricity switch as soon as you detect the leakage and use mops to stop the water if the flow is heavy. If the situation is worse, you should get your important stuff and get out of the house to save yourself and your family from any mishap, including electrical shocks. While all these steps are important, you should also call a water restoration company such as 911 Restoration of Riverdale to remediate the issue as soon as possible.