Why Does My Well Water Turn Orange After Sitting Out?

Written by Craig "The Water Guy" Phillips

Well water turns orange because it contains dissolved iron. Underground, without oxygen, the iron stays dissolved (ferrous iron) and the water looks clear. Once the water meets air in a glass, toilet tank or pressure tank, the iron oxidizes into rust-colored ferric iron particles, so the water turns orange as it sits.

Why Well Water Turns Orange After Sitting Out

Groundwater picks up iron as it moves through iron-rich soil and rock. Because well water has little oxygen, that iron is dissolved and invisible. Expose it to air and it reacts with oxygen, turning into tiny rust particles. That's why a glass of well water can look clear from the tap and turn orange or cloudy after a few minutes or hours, with rusty sediment settling at the bottom.

The higher the iron level, the faster and darker the color change. Iron starts to stain fixtures and laundry at fairly low levels; the EPA's secondary (aesthetic) guideline for iron is 0.3 mg/L.

Why Is My Well Water Suddenly Orange?

If your water used to be clear and is now orange straight from the tap, something changed. Common reasons:

• Well disturbance: new pump work, well repairs or very heavy use can stir up iron sediment.
• Low water table: during droughts the pump may pull water with more iron and sediment.
• Iron bacteria: these feed on iron and produce reddish slime that can break loose and color the water.
• Corroding pipes or equipment: old galvanized pipe, a rusting pressure tank or a failing water heater add rust.
• Treatment failure: an iron filter or softener that's overloaded or not regenerating lets iron through.

Orange Hot Water Only?

If only the hot side is orange, look at the water heater. Heat speeds up iron oxidation, and sediment and rust collect in the tank. A heavily corroded tank or worn anode rod can also add rust. Flush the heater; if the color returns quickly and your cold water is clear, the tank may be failing.

Types of Iron That Color Water

Is Orange Well Water Safe to Drink?

Iron itself is regulated by the EPA as an aesthetic (secondary) contaminant, not a health one, so it mainly affects taste, color and staining. But orange water tells you the water hasn't been tested recently, and iron can be accompanied by bacteria or other contaminants. Test before you decide it's fine to drink, especially if the change was sudden.

Iron does cause real household problems: orange stains on toilets, sinks and laundry, a metallic taste, clogged aerators and showerheads, and buildup that fouls water heaters and treatment equipment. See whether a water softener can fix orange toilet stains .

How to Test for Iron

1. Jar test: fill a clear glass and let it sit. If it turns orange over time, you have dissolved iron. If it's orange immediately, the iron is already oxidized.
2. Home test kit: measures total iron in ppm, enough to size equipment. See DIY methods to test iron levels .
3. Certified lab: for iron, manganese, pH, hardness and bacteria together, which is what you need to choose the right system.

How to Fix Orange Well Water

Match the fix to your iron level and type:

• Clear-water iron up to 3 ppm: every SoftPro softener handles it, including the, SoftPro Elite for well water , which is rated to 3 ppm and removes it along with hardness. When sizing, add 5 grains per gallon to your hardness for every 1 ppm of clear-water iron.
• Iron above 3 ppm, or orange straight from the tap: install a dedicated iron filter ahead of the softener. Our AIO Iron Master uses air injection to oxidize iron so the media can catch it, and handles up to 30 ppm of iron. Learn how an iron filter for well water works .
• Iron bacteria: shock chlorinate the well following your state or county health department's instructions, flush the plumbing, and retest. Filters don't kill bacteria.
• Sediment: add a sediment pre-filter to protect the valve and catch loose rust.

For help choosing, see the best softener for high iron in well water or browse our iron filters for well water .

Orange Tap Water on City Water

If you're on city water and it suddenly turns orange, it's usually temporary: hydrant flushing, a water main break or nearby construction can stir up rust in the mains. Run the cold tap for a few minutes, avoid washing whites until it clears, and call your utility if it lasts. If only your home is affected, corroded galvanized pipes or the water heater are the likely source.

Frequently Asked Questions