Water leaves rust coloured stains

[geForce]

Does anyone else have this problem? My tap water leaves a reddish/rust coloured stain after it dries. I see it everwhere - around the toilet, sinks, shower/tub. It builds up fairly quickly too. I would clean it and it comes back after a few days.

I looked up a few places on Google, and some people say excess iron deposits in the water, and others say it could be some sort of bacteria in the air that is attracted to still water.

Either case sounds nasty. Just wondering if this is just my apartment/building only, or if anyone else gets the same thing.

[se7entse7en]

I see it too. It also builds up in my filtered water pitcher and drinking glasses if I don't wash them often enough. I don't know what it is either. It looks pink to me. Haven't gotten sick from it, but have noticed a 'winey' taste before.

[jeSteR]

I only get the usual pink bacteria. It's a bacteria that is native to the Vancouver Water Supply system. We use resevoir water that is all the mountain run off. I wouldn't normally encounter it unless I skipped a week of cleaning. I find that weekly cleanings are enough to prevent anything from building up. If you're seeing it after a few days, then it might be iron deposits, or that you live really close to a resevoir and the bacteria hasn't had a chance to get diluted or dispated from the downward flow.

[geForce]

Hmm, that's weird that I never got it when I lived at E. 28th. Maybe it does have to do with proximity to the reservoir then.

[se7entse7en]

Oh, and I also see 'scales' in the toilet, especially after coming back from a vacation. I'm assuming that would be iron or some other mineral deposits.

[nature boy]

used to happen to me when i lived on 1st, but not in burnaby.
not that i noticed at least.

[geForce]

Hm.. Weird. Old houses don't get it?

[jeSteR]

Elliott had it. and so did 38th before the build too.

[geForce]

Hmm.. Weird. Some houses don't get it? Sorry, this is a new thing for me and doesn't really make sense.

[se7entse7en]

Hard water.
I noticed that when I moved here, I had to change soaps because I couldn't get the soap off my skin while showering. It eventually led to body dandruff.

I never noticed this growing up at my parents' place. Also, I noticed that the soap there lathers much more readily than here.

[nature boy]

hm, interesting. i thought the water here was pretty good in the way of lathering up. we learned about it in grade 10 or something. the prairies, however, have it way worse.

[nature boy]

actually, i don't use glasses too much (usually mugs) but when i do i never noticed any discolouration from tap water. i also don't use tap water that much either.

the toilet does discolour if we don't clean it for a while, but we usually keep it pretty clean so i hardly ever see it.

[Duncan]

[nature boy]

wait, is it just in the bathroom?
i had a glass of tap water yesterday and put it in the sink after i was done. after a while i went back to check on it and it was still clear as heck.
the tub was pretty clean too, and we only wipe it down when we give ryan a bath, which lately hasn't been too often.

[se7entse7en]

Fill a glass or a pitcher with water. Leave it in the fridge for a couple of days. Empty it. Wipe the inside of the glass/pitcher with paper towel and see.