Leixlip Water Quality Issues

Jackovarian

Hi,

Just wondering has anybody else been finding large chunks of dirt clogged up in their tap heads?

I know the water out here is pretty bad quality, all you have to do is smell it... smells like chlorine.

When I moved here first about a year ago the kitchen tap had a very weak flow. So I took the plastic head out to see if it was clogged. I found two or three pieces of glass and I found these yellow lumps of what looked like the foam you'd find in a couch cushion.

The lumps weren't hard, though they did seem crystalline and they they could be pulled apart, they looked biological and were definitely not foam. They also had some black dots on them.

The rubber seal that had been in the tap head was completely covered in loose rubber, like ink, it was falling apart. Got black rubber "ink" all over my hands and the kitchen sink. Not sure if that was the fault of the water or just the age of the tap.

Yesterday I pulled out more of those yellow lumps from the tap.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

ronaneire

What sort of tap is in your kitchen, the flow of water shouldn't be restricted by any form of head.
First I heard of foam or glass in the water.

LeixlipRed

Water isn't of great quality in Leixlip, Maynooth's is much better for example. But that sounds like a local issue. Possibly something's contaminated a water main near you or the actually plumbing in your house could be the issue. Whereabouts in Leixlip are you?

I'd suggest taking apart the sink plumbing if you're competent just to see if there's any explanation there. But if you're not sure what you're doing just leave it and ask someone you know to do it perhaps.

Jackovarian

It's not a "head", what I mean is a mixer spout. Its a hot + cold mixer tap. The plastic part sits in the outlet, making the water spray out a bit.

A lot of the sink plumbing had to be replaced in January because of the cold weather.

I could be wrong but I dont think its a house issue. Plus the cold tap in the kitchen runs directly off the mains. Unless its something to do with the tanks in the attic, but they were checked recently too and were fine.


I checked again there and no problem, it seems to take a while for this stuff to build up in the spout.

It's not foam either. Its some kind of weird spongy substance. I've noticed fine yellow grains in settled water from time to time.

LeixlipRed

That sounds kind of worrying if you've had everything checked. And the tap is probably directly at the mains too so it could quite conceivably be from the water supply. Maybe you should call the council's water department? They could give you some advice at least I'm sure.

Jackovarian

I guess I'll have to. I might just do some filtering for a while from hot and cold and see what gets trapped in the filters, then decide what to do.

Its not too bad I suppose in comparison to some of the water across the country. I've seen blue water, brown water and water full of tiny round black specs! All in the same county!

I'll post back here with results in a few days.

LeixlipRed

Still worrying though! My parents have a filter tap at home, might be worth the investment!

ronaneire

It's a mixer tap, it's highly impossible it comes from the mains.
If you poor a glass of water from the cold tap is there anything visible in it?

Jackovarian

Both Hot and Cold seem clear in the glass. Both produced suspended tiny bubbles. But no dirt or anything. Best I can do is filter it and see.

I dont drink it by the way, havent since I moved in. Always drink bottled. The water around here smells like a swimming pool or something. Dunno how to locals put up with it.

ronaneire

Jackovarian wrote: »

Both Hot and Cold seem clear in the glass. Both produced suspended tiny bubbles. But no dirt or anything. Best I can do is filter it and see.

I dont drink it by the way, havent since I moved in. Always drink bottled. The water around here smells like a swimming pool or something. Dunno how to locals put up with it.

The tiny bubbles are oxygen. The chlorine content of the water in and around Leixlip would be high because of the water treatment plant.

You could always fit an inline filter and this solves the chlorine and any other issues you may have.

Jackovarian

I dont know if I'll be staying here long enough to warrant buying a filter.

I know the bubbles are oxygen, you get them everywhere like.

I'll post back with pics if I find anything interesting

ronaneire

If your only renting true. Can be cheaper then bottled. Keep us posted if you find anything.

echter

I've been drinking the water in Leixlip straight from the tap for 18 years and I've never had any problems

but seriously though, that's a bit worrying. Usually the water from my tap is grand.