Social media has seen a flurry of comments about discolored, yellowish tap water in the City of Valparaiso, so we reached out to the city to find out what was going on. 

In short, the city has started its annual system flush. This allows the city, according to Public Works Director Nathan Kelley, to “maintain the best possible water quality and keep our system healthy.”

Kelley explained that the city does this by opening fire hydrants in specific areas to increase water flows – which in turn allows city workers to clean out mineral deposits and sediment buildup in pipes, while also checking water flows from fire hydrants. 

The discoloration of the water, according to the city, is caused by sediment buildup in the pipes that get stirred up by increased water flow. That sediment, according to the Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority is typically made up of iron and manganese. 

“This is normal and if it happens, it is not harmful. Simply let your water run until it is clear, normally no more than 15 minutes,” Kelley explained, “If the discoloration continues, please contact Valparaiso Public Works at 850-729-5407 and we will send a technician out to help resolve the problem.”

We know there’s a joke in here, but we’re going to skip past it. This is what’s happening with Valparaiso’s water discoloration.