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why does my bath water look blue

by Prof. Allen West Jr. Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Reasons Water Looks Blue In A White Bath

  1. Copper. Copper pipes make continuous contact with the water as it travels through the system. ...
  2. Excess Soap. When figuring out how to get rid of blue bathwater, it’s important to understand that sometimes it’s something as simple as excess soap.
  3. Leftover Cleaning Agent. ...
  4. Lighting. ...

Well, water that has a blue/green tint usually means your home's water has excessive levels of copper. And if humans absorb too much copper (either via skin, inhalation, or ingestion), it can cause: Vomiting. Diarrhea.

Full Answer

Why does our bathroom water leave a blue stain?

What will Low pH Water do to my Home?

  • A Costly and Frustrating Proposition. Every year that passes by corrosive water will continue eating away new internal layers of copper from your plumbing.
  • Your Heating System. ...
  • Appliances and Faucets. ...

Is blue/green bath water harmful?

If your bath water is tinted green or blue or your plumbing fixtures have blue or green stains around it's an indication of excessive copper levels in your bath water. And this has to be tackled immediately as absorption of more than the required levels of copper in your body either through the skin, ingestion or inhalation can be quite harmful.

Why does the water in my hot tub smell bad?

  • Shut off the power as described above.
  • Close the main shut-off valve.
  • Open both a nearby hot water tap and the temperature and pressure relief ( TPR) valve.
  • Drain the tank until the water level is below the TPR valve, then shut both off.
  • Add some 3 percent hydrogen peroxide (approximately 1-2 quarts per 40 gallons, adjusted to your tank’s capacity).

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Why does water look blue in a white bath?

What Causes a Blue Tint in Well Water?

  • Copper in the Water Supply. Residual amounts of copper are normal in your water supply, but cause problems when the quantity builds up due to copper deposits in the earth ...
  • Corroding Pipes. If you have pipes made of copper, replace them with PVC pipes to see if this corrects the problem. ...
  • Electrical Grounding. ...
  • Bronze Fixtures. ...

How do you fix blue tinted water?

Even if the pipe doesn't have any copper, the wires corrode as well, causing their residual corrosion to enter the water supply, giving off a light-bluish color. Solve this problem by using an earthing electrode next to the house instead of water piping for grounding.

Is blue water safe to drink?

A low level of copper usually leaves a green/blue stain on taps, pipes, hand basins, showers or toilets but there is no bitter or metallic taste. This water is still safe to drink.

Is it safe to bathe in copper water?

Copper will not enter your body through skin or by breathing in vapours while showering or bathing. Bathing and showering in water that contains copper should not be a health risk. The options for removing copper from drinking water include water treatment devices or upgrading your plumbing materials.

Why is the water in my bathtub green?

Copper gets into household water largely due to corrosion of plumbing pipes made of copper. The corrosion activity causes copper to dissolve into water lending it its greenish/bluish tint.

What is blue water syndrome?

If the water coming out of your pipes has a blue or green tint, you may have a problem known as blue water syndrome. While the cloudy water that leaves a powdery film on your glassware is caused by high amounts of calcium in your water, blue water syndrome is caused by too much copper.

Why does my tap water turn blue?

What most often causes tap water to come out blue or green is the corrosion of copper freshwater line plumbing pipes. The discolored water is often accompanied by a metallic taste. Though many homes now have plumbing made of PVC, CPVC or PEX, there are still homes with copper pipes.

How do you remove copper from water?

Copper can be removed from water through reverse osmosis, distillation, and ion exchange filtration.

How do you remove copper from shower water?

Copper can be removed up to 97-98% with a reverse osmosis water filter. Cartridges using activated carbon can also remove copper from water by using adsorption.

Why does my water have copper in it?

If your home’s water has higher-than-normal copper levels, it’s most likely due to corroded copper pipes. You see, as the pipes corrode, copper dissolves into the water that’s transported into your home giving it that blueish-greenish tint.

What causes a water pipe to break down?

High concentration of other chemicals/organisms in the water (like dissolved oxygen, salts and bacteria) Sand, sediment and grit scraping against the pipe, causing it to break down and corrode. High water velocity, which wears down the inner lining of the pipe through water turbulence.

How to tell if you have copper pipes?

Really the only way to tell if you have copper pipes is to look at them. Try going to your attic or a crawlspace to see if you can locate any protruding pipes. If your pipes look red/brown, then you have copper pipes. If you don’t have copper pipes, but your bathwater is still green, contact a plumber to test your water ...

Why is my bath water blue?

Blue bath water will be caused by copper or other particles that got into your water. Check your pipes that might be corroded or test your water to find issues. While bathing in blue water is safer than drinking it, it’s still not recommended. The body does absorb water and microelements through the skin.

Why is my water green and blue?

Green and blue water can be the result of the same copper issue. Sometimes after installing new copper pipes, it takes some time for them to set. But, if the pipes are old and the water is green it’s probably the same cause.

Why is my water color odd?

Corroded pipes can pass copper into the water. Also, other particles, salt, electrolysis, or excessive water pressure can be the reasons for your water having odd color or tint. Read on as I’ll explain how you can determine if your home water that is coming from the well or city is polluted with copper and what can you do about it to fix this issue.

What causes a copper pipe to turn blue?

Improper grounding in a household electrical grid can cause a small electrical charge that comes into contact with the copper piping. Since copper is an excellent conductor the process called electrolysis can easily happen. During electrolysis some electrons are removed from the copper molecules, resulting in corrosion of the pipe itself. In turn, the copper particles are released into traveling water and creating that strange blue tint.

How does water absorb copper?

There are many ways for the water to absorb copper metals when it is flowing through the water system. Do check other taps of the house and even talk with closest neighbors for similar looking and tasting water.

Can salt water damage copper pipes?

But it’s important to know that slightly salty water can be really damaging to copper pipes. How can this happen?

Can drinking water cause diarrhea?

But drinking water that has traces of copper for a longer period of time can cause known symptoms such as stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea. Prolong copper toxicity can lead to acute symptoms such as vomiting, increased risk for liver problems, and kidney disease.

Why does salt water turn blue?

Just like road salt used in the winter to melt snow causes corrosion on cars and trucks, saltwater dissolves the walls of copper piping, and the corroded copper turns blue , which can leave your water with a blue color.

Why does copper turn blue?

When copper corrodes due to exposure to corrosive water, it takes on a blue-green color which gives the water a blue tint. Although a blue tint to your water may seem like a harmless occurrence, the copper that is in the water that gives it that blue tint can be harmful to humans when it is consumed and can even cause illness ...

How to treat acidic water?

How we treat your acid water will depend on just how acidic the water is. For slightly acidic water with a pH between 6.5 and 7.0, using calcite in a 10-inch diameter x 54-inch high tank backwashing filter should neutralize the water to the point where it will no longer corrode your copper plumbing.

What causes electrolysis in water?

Electrolysis is most often caused by common home appliances that use a DC motor to perform a task.

What color is copper?

When copper corrodes, it becomes a blue-green color. This is the same thing that is happening to the copper pipes in your home. This corrosion of copper is caused by oxidation which is the removal of electrons from the copper. This bluish green outside layer of corroded copper is called copper oxide. Tiny particles of the blue-green corroded copper ...

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