Brown tap water, identified before anything is installed
Independent sampling across three states from a practice built entirely around measuring accurately.
| Business | Olympian Water Testing LLC |
|---|---|
| Category | Water Testing Service, independent laboratory analysis |
| Established | 1991, 35 years in operation |
| Service area | New York, New Jersey and Connecticut |
| Locations | Five departure locations across New York City |
| Telephone | (212) 461-3879 New York • (908) 772-8601 New Jersey • (203) 780-2022 Connecticut |
| Website | olympianwatertesting.com |
| Panels | Lead, copper, bacteria, PFAS, chemicals and full potability |
| Analysis | NELAP accredited laboratory analysis, accredited results provided |
Five departure locations
Five explanations for brown tap water and how to tell them apart
| Cause | How it usually presents | How it is distinguished |
|---|---|---|
| Street main disturbance | All taps at once, often several houses | Timing against known street work |
| Building work or a pump change | All taps in one property only | Property history rather than street history |
| Water heater and anode | Hot side only, cold runs clear | Comparing hot against cold at the same fixture |
| Fixture or supply line | One tap only, clears quickly | Comparing against a second cold tap |
| Well iron and manganese | Persistent, staining, no external trigger | Property is on a private well |
Professional Testing for Brown and Discolored Tap Water
Brown or discolored tap water has a small number of recognized causes, and the distribution and timing of the symptom narrow them considerably before any analysis begins.
Olympian Water Testing conducts discoloration investigations for households, renters, owners, managing agents and boards throughout the tri state region.
The Recognized Causes
Disturbance within the distribution system, including main repairs, hydrant operation and changes in flow direction, returns settled iron and manganese to suspension and commonly affects several adjoining properties at once.
Work within a property, a water heater and its internal components, a single fixture and its supply line, and naturally occurring iron and manganese on a private well each produce a distinguishable pattern.
How the Cause Is Established
Consultation establishes whether every tap is affected or only one, whether hot or cold, when it began, whether it clears with running, and what occurred at the property or in the street beforehand.
Our highly trained and skilled laboratory technicians then perform the sampling event, with parameters selected to confirm or eliminate a specific explanation.
Understanding Our Reporting
Our reporting identifies the sampling points, the conditions and appearance recorded there, the analytical method, the reporting limit and the measured value.
Whether the sample was collected during an active episode or after the water cleared is stated explicitly, since the two describe different conditions.
Independent Assessment Across the Region
Olympian Water Testing has investigated discoloration since 1991, from five departure locations across New York City, with NELAP accredited laboratory analysis.
Enquiries reach Olympian at every hour throughout the year.
How Olympian works
- On site sample collection by our highly trained and skilled laboratory technicians
- Stagnation instructions provided in advance when required by the selected test
- Chain of custody maintained from collection through analysis
- NELAP accredited laboratory analysis
- Our reporting states methods, reporting limits and measured values
- Thirty five years serving New York, New Jersey and Connecticut
- Parameter selection determined through consultation with our consultants
- Five departure locations across New York City
- Reporting limits stated for every parameter selected
- Support available 24/7 for testing questions and scheduling
Common questions
Request Water-Quality Testing
Describe the discoloration, cloudiness or other condition you are seeing and Olympian can help determine what should be tested.