Iron staining in a sink under a faucet from high iron content in water.

What Causes Dirty Toilet Tank Water?

If you’ve noticed that the water in your toilet tank looks dirty or discolored, you’re not alone. Water quality issues can cause buildup and sediment in your plumbing system, leading to murky water or stains in your toilet tank. Fortunately, there are simple solutions to the problem, from regular maintenance to installing a water filtration system.

If you’re wondering why your toilet water is brown or black in color, contact Futuramic’s Clean Water Center today. We help address unique water challenges in the Omaha-Council Bluffs Greater Metro Area in Nebraska and Iowa.

Why Check Your Toilet Tank

The toilet tank is a place most of us rarely look, unless the flush handle isn’t working or the toilet is malfunctioning. That said, it’s a good idea to lift off the tank’s lid every so often and check on the water. It is not uncommon to find the tank filled with dirty water and/or buildup on the sides.

The water tank can get filthy for many reasons and may become dirty even if the toilet bowl still looks shiny and clean. If you find water that is black in the toilet tank, it likely contains elevated levels of manganese. Manganese in your water supply can be why your toilet tank is black inside or why you see a film on the surface of the water that looks like slime.

If there are brown stains in the tank, it’s probably from iron in your water. Toilet water that’s brown in color is due to iron bacteria that fixes to iron particles in the water. If you discover a thick, slimy mess, it’s likely from iron bacteria growing in your toilet tank. While the bacteria isn’t considered dangerous in low amounts, it’s still a nuisance many people would rather not deal with.

Let’s take a closer look at what might be causing these toilet tank issues, and how you can fix them.

Is Iron Bacteria a Health Hazard?

Despite its scary-sounding name, iron bacteria has not been shown to cause illness in humans or most animals. When you see oily, black slime in your toilet tank, it’s a sure sign of iron bacteria. This means there is a chance you have it growing in other areas of your home, as well.

Iron bacteria thrive in pools of water containing iron that go undisturbed for long periods. This could include your water heater, washer, or toilet.

You may worry your water supply is contaminated when you see signs of iron bacteria. After all, it looks disgusting, often smells foul, and can be a pain to clean. While it can’t hurt you, it often makes people reconsider drinking their tap water and opt for bottled water instead. However, water treatment can eliminate the problem and provide you with clean, fresh drinking water.

How You Can Tell If You Have Iron Bacteria

If there is a slimy layer around the water inside your toilet tank, it’s likely due to iron bacteria. Additional water discoloration isn’t necessarily caused by the bacteria alone, but very likely because of excess manganese or iron in your water supply. These problems are especially common in well water. Municipal (city) water supplies typically treat for most metals, so iron bacteria contamination and tank staining are less common.

What Type of Treatment System Would Work Best for Your Home?

The EV1 Conditioner, EV2 Conditioner, and EVFE water systems all do an outstanding job of removing iron from water.

Our professionals at Futuramic’s Clean Water Center are trained to test your water and come up with a custom solution that will provide clean, purified water right from the tap. The system we recommend will also resolve any iron bacteria-related problems.

If you’re concerned about water-borne illnesses, we can take a water sample to the lab to test for bacteria and other contaminants. One simple phone call to our office and we’ll be happy to come out and evaluate your situation.

What Is the Best Way To Get Rid of Iron Bacteria and Iron Stains?

If you do have iron bacteria in your toilet tank, adding chlorine bleach and letting it soak may help kill the bacteria. However, it is likely to return in the future. The source of the problem is iron in your water supply. Therefore, a filter system is the best way to resolve it.

A water supply filtration system will eliminate your iron and iron bacteria concerns. It will also provide you with tap water that tastes better, has no foul odors, and won’t leave hard water stains or limescale.

Is Hard Water Causing My Water Problems?

While hard water is a very common problem in Nebraska and Iowa, it usually won’t cause stains in your toilet tank. Hard water leaves a white, crusty scale on faucets, in tubs and sinks, on glass shower doors, and around shower heads. Although hard water buildup is a headache for many homeowners in our area, it won’t cause your toilet tank water to turn brown, red, black, or orange.

However, manganese and iron commonly found in well water sources can bring about these issues. Evolve® brand products like the EV1 and EV2 water conditioners can both soften water and remove iron and other metals by using popular Crystal-Right media and the technology behind it.

Getting Rid of Manganese and Iron Bacteria in the Toilet Tank

Cleaning your toilet tank will only provide a temporary fix to iron and manganese issues. To permanently resolve these problems, give the team at Futuramic’s a call to discuss which Evolve® system would best fit your home. For answers to common water quality questions, visit our FAQs page!

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