Brown Rust-Coloured Water Coming Out of Taps? Here’s Why—and What to Do About It

When you turn on the tap and see brown or rust-coloured water instead of clear, clean flow, it’s more than just unpleasant—it raises questions about your water safety, plumbing system, and home’s infrastructure. While discoloured tap water can sometimes be a short-term issue, it’s important to understand what causes it, how to respond, and what steps you can take to prevent it from happening again.

At LG Home Comfort, we help Ontario homeowners protect both their comfort and their water quality. In this guide, we’ll cover the most common reasons behind rusty or discoloured tap water, what it means for your health and home, and the best short- and long-term solutions—including how water softeners and reverse osmosis (RO) systems can help give your home crystal-clear, worry-free water.

Why Is Brown Rust Coloured Water Coming Out of My Taps?

Discoloured water is typically a sign of iron, rust, or sediment entering your household water supply. It can result from issues inside your home or from the municipal water system. Knowing where the problem originates can help you take the right action.

1. Corroded or Aging Pipes

If your home was built before the 1970s and still has galvanized steel or iron pipes, internal corrosion is a likely culprit. Over time, rust builds up inside the pipes and can flake off, mixing with your water and giving it a reddish-brown hue.

In many cases, you’ll see the discolouration in just one or a few taps, and it often clears after running the water for a few minutes. However, ongoing pipe corrosion can lead to reduced water flow, plumbing damage, and long-term contamination.

🔧 Upgrade Tip: Replacing outdated piping materials with PEX or copper can provide a permanent solution—and pairing that with a point-of-entry water filtration system like a water softener can help reduce additional wear and tear caused by hard water minerals.

2. Sediment Buildup in the Water Heater

If the brown water appears only when using hot water, the issue could be a buildup of sediment inside your water heater. Over time, minerals such as iron, calcium, and magnesium settle at the bottom of the tank. This is especially common in areas like Ontario where hard water is prevalent.

When disturbed—during water usage, system flushing, or temperature changes—this sediment can mix with your water.

💡 Smart Prevention: Annual water heater flushing is a must. But you can go a step further by installing a water softener, which reduces the calcium and magnesium content in your water—preventing scale buildup and sediment formation before it starts.

3. Municipal Water Supply Disturbances

Sometimes, the source of the problem isn’t inside your home at all. Routine maintenance, water main flushing, or sudden pressure changes in your municipality’s main water line can stir up sediment and rust from aging infrastructure.

If all taps in your home are affected and your neighbours are experiencing the same issue, the problem is likely citywide. Fortunately, these occurrences are typically temporary and should resolve within a few hours.

🌐 Added Protection: Even when the issue starts at the municipal level, a whole-home RO system or dedicated RO tap can act as your home’s final line of defence—ensuring that by the time the water reaches your glass, it’s safe, pure, and crystal clear.

4. Recent Plumbing Work or Repairs

If you’ve recently had plumbing work done—such as pipe replacements, faucet installations, or water system upgrades—the resulting disturbance may temporarily stir up rust and sediment within your pipes. This can cause brief periods of brown water immediately following the work.

This usually resolves on its own but should still be monitored to ensure it doesn’t indicate deeper issues.

5. Extreme Weather or Changing Water Tables

Sudden weather changes, such as heavy rainfall or extended droughts, can impact municipal and private water systems alike. Shifts in the water table can introduce natural sediments or iron-rich particles into your water supply, particularly if you rely on a private well.

🌱 Filtration for Rural and Well Water Homes: For homes using well water, iron filters, whole-home RO units, or multi-stage filtration systems can offer a powerful solution to seasonal contamination. These systems filter out not just rust but also bacteria, sulphur, and other organics that tend to spike after weather changes.

Is Brown Tap Water Safe to Drink or Use?

Let’s not sugar-coat this. No, don’t drink it.
While rusty or brown water often looks worse than it is (iron isn’t toxic at low levels), it may still contain bacteria, contaminants, or high levels of metals.

🚫 Until it’s resolved:

• Use bottled or purified RO water for drinking and cooking
• Don’t bathe young children or pets in it
• Avoid washing white clothes unless you’re in the mood for DIY tie-dye

What to Do Immediately When You See Brown Water

If rusty or discoloured water starts coming from your tap, don’t panic. Follow these steps to address the problem safely and efficiently:

1. Run Cold Water Only
   Turn on your cold water tap (preferably the one closest to the main water line) and let it run for 5–10 minutes.
2. Avoid Using Hot Water
   Do not run your hot water until the issue is resolved to prevent drawing contaminants into your heater.
3. Check with Neighbours
   This helps determine whether the problem is isolated or municipal.
4. Inspect Your Plumbing System
   Check pipes, taps, and your heater for corrosion or leaks.

Long-Term Solutions for Rusty Tap Water

If discoloured water becomes a recurring problem, it’s time to implement permanent solutions to improve your water quality:

Flush and Maintain Your Water Heater

Annual flushing reduces sediment buildup. If your heater is older, consider upgrading to a tankless model—preferably paired with a pre-filter or water softener for added longevity.

Upgrade Old Plumbing

Replacing corroded steel pipes with copper or PEX eliminates one of the main sources of rust.

🚰 Why Every Ontario Home Deserves a Reverse Osmosis System

While some causes of brown water are mechanical or municipal, the water that ultimately reaches your glass should meet the highest purity standard—and that’s where reverse osmosis systems shine.

🔬 How RO Systems Work

RO systems push water through a semipermeable membrane that removes up to 99% of impurities—including:

• Rust and iron particles
• Chlorine and fluoride
• Lead and heavy metals
• Bacteria and viruses
• Pesticides and VOCs

🛠 Perfect for:

• Drinking water
• Cooking
• Ice makers and coffee machines

Whether your issue is rust today or chlorine tomorrow, RO systems offer long-term protection for your family’s health and peace of mind.

💧 Water Softeners: The Unsung Heroes of Rust Prevention

While RO systems are great for drinking, water softeners address the mineral-heavy side of Ontario’s water supply. They remove heavy metal impurities like lead, arsenic, etc as well as elements like calcium and magnesium that:

• Contribute to scale buildup
• Reduce appliance efficiency
• Trap rust and sediment in heaters and pipes

Installing a water softener not only helps prevent rust from forming in the first place—it also protects your plumbing, heater, and filtration systems downstream.

Preventative Maintenance Tips

To keep your water consistently clean and safe:
✔ Schedule annual plumbing inspections
✔ Flush your water heater every 6–12 months
✔ Replace corroded pipes or fixtures
✔ Stay informed on municipal maintenance
✔ Install reliable RO and water softening systems

Trust LG Home Comfort for Safe, Clean Water in Ontario

At LG Home Comfort, we’ve built a reputation across Ontario for providing reliable, affordable solutions that improve your home’s comfort and water quality. Whether you’re dealing with persistent brown water, foul smelling or tasting water, or hard water challenges, our licensed technicians are here to help with inspections, repairs, and system upgrades.

We offer:

• Water heater flushing and replacements
• Whole-home water softeners and RO system installation
• Water quality testing and diagnostics

Ready to Fix Your Rust-Coloured Water Problem?

Don’t let discoloured tap water affect your family’s health or peace of mind. Call LG Home Comfort to schedule a water quality inspection today!

Book your service today—clean, clear water is just a call away.