black algee in water system . what is it

[ywsian]

Is it Jabba The?........

 

[chrishutt]

Good try, but no. Never mind, just practice spelling GELATINOUS.

 

[ywsian]

yep, I have to admit, you got me there
Been watching too much countdown.... they only have 9 letters on their board

 

[Agile]

Question for Ian please?

While filling a steel dogs bowl with Thames Water I noticed a clear segmented "worm" about 25 mm x 3 mm.

Are these common and how do they survive in the chlorinated supply pipes? What do they live on?

Tony

 

[ywsian]

Question for Ian please?

While filling a steel dogs bowl with Thames Water I noticed a clear segmented "worm" about 25 mm x 3 mm.

Are these common and how do they survive in the chlorinated supply pipes? What do they live on?

Tony

By Thames Water, I pressume thats tap water and not water from the Thames.....

Was it actually a worm?
I have seen many things, but worms are very unusual. The only way a worm could get into the water supply (hypothetically) is if there has been a burst main in the locality and one has fell in whilst the main as been repaired (e.g. hole in main and main depressurised). This would then travel through the system and would end up coming out of someones tap, but this is a theory and highly unlikely scenario.

If you still have it I would contact Thames Water and ask them to test it. They may even flush the nearest downstream hydrant with a net attached to the standpipe so anything caught could be examined in the labs.

Hope that helps

 

[Agile]

Water from the Thames would have been "Thames water"!

The "worm" was my name for the creature which had a totally transparent body and very little in it as it was virtually transparent and very difficult to even see.

I thought you would have recognised this a something found in water pipelines as thats what it seemed to be.

Tony

 

[chrishutt]

Tony, was it like this?

 

[croydoncorgi]

I wonder whether the black slime bacteria can arise just from the iron introduced from steel and cast-iron pipes. I guess Yorkshire may have quite high levels of iron in the water anyway but here in the Thames area I doubt there's much iron in borehole water. Nevertheless, the water inlet areas of my washing machine (in the top of the compartment where the detergent drawer fits) DO get black slime growth.. Very difficult to get rid of!

 

[ywsian]

Sorry, don't recognise the description, and have never seen any "worm" type creatures in any of our water.
Have seen a variety of fresh water shrimps on one occasion, but they are extremely rare these days.

Had other things reported but there has always been an explaination once the problem has been investigated.


Croydoncorgi:
Iron levels here are not dis-similar to your neck of the woods. Any water company works to the same regulations, but depending on the source and area, the levels of metals will vary, but will still be withing the regulatory limits.
The black slime would not just occur from just the iron in the pipes/supply, and is never found actually inside the supply pipes.
Its mainly found anywhere thats damp and warm (ie tap outlets, shower heads, washing machine compartments, shower curtains etc etc)

 

[peteuk]

i know this is an old post I am resurrecting but I searched for an answer before posting anew on here.
We seem to have the same problem as mentioned above but my wife says she is cleaning our taps etc every week to clear them.
In addition she says she has to bleach the toilet bowls regularly as they get the algae too.

Unfortunately every tap in the house is a mixer tap so I cannot judge if there is a problem from only the hot, cold or both supplies.
We have an 8 year old combi boiler with no tank in the loft.

The water itself seems clear and tastes fine (my wife says she has always had to clean the taps etc since we moved in but I never knew)

Any ideas as to how we investigate / fix the problem?
Thank you,

Pete

 

[peteuk]

Can anyone advise on a fix for this problem please?
Should we consider replace pipework or calling Northumbrian water?

The algae is also in the washing machine (very visible in the soap dispenser and on the rubber seal round the door). So that gets cleaned at least weekly too!

Thanks again

Pete

 

[Corgigrouch]

A bit of black gunge in the draw area is not uncommon, I stick the draw in my dishwasher every now and then and spray a bit of spray bleach inside the slot.... Wherever you have moisture and warmth you will get black snot.... As for black round the seal, try leaving the door open when the washer is not in use so that that area can dry in between use.... Also I tend to use hotter cycles, usually I wash my work gear (And sometimes my phone) at 60, in the summer when I get really sweaty and there is a higher chance of bacterial growth then I use a 90 cycle..... Only tree huggers use cold washes..... You can smell them!

 

[peteuk]

Thanks Corgigrouch,
My wife says she does as you do except the very hot washes so she'll also try that.
I know in the early days of the current washer she used to close the door when empty but it's left open now.

That you (and no-one else) has suggested anything apart from the cleaning etc that we currently do I guess there is no other way. Or does anyone know better?

Thanks again,

Pete