TABLE OF CONTENTS Usually, customer complaints will be the first evidence of a corrosion problem in a water system. Many common symptoms are listed in Table 17.5, along with their possible causes. The complaints may not always be caused by corrosion. For example, red water may also be caused by iron in the source water that is not removed in treatment. Therefore, in some cases, further investigation is necessary before attributing the complaint to corrosion in the system.
| Customer complaint | Possible cause |
|---|---|
| Red water, red or black particles, presence of reddish-brown staining on fixtures and laundry | Corrosion of iron pipes, old galvanized pipes, or iron in source water |
| Bluish stains in sinks and tubs | Corrosion of copper lines |
| Black water lines | Sulfide corrosion of copper or iron |
| Foul taste or odors; fine suspended bluish particles; orange, aqua, or black gelatinous deposits | By-products from microbial activity |
| Loss of pressure | Excessive scaling, tubercules building up, leak in system from pitting or other type of corrosion |
| Lack of hot water | Buildup of mineral deposits in hot-water pipes or heater system (can be reduced by setting thermostat to under 140 F or softening) |
| Short service life of household plumbing | Rapid deterioration of pipes from pitting or other types of corrosion |
| White or green-tinted fine particles in aerators and strainers | Deteriorated hot-water heater dip tube |
| White particles and cloudiness in ice cubes | Hard water |
| Source: AWWA, Corrosion Control for... |
