If your household is large, seasonal, or a second home, what changes about tannin concerns?
In Denver County, the public water system serves over 1.2 million residents across more than 300,000 connections. Larger households typically use more water, which can influence how water treatment systems perform, especially if tannins are present. Seasonal or second homes may experience water sitting in pipes for extended periods, potentially affecting water color or quality if tannins or organic materials accumulate. Understanding these differences is important when evaluating the presence and impact of tannins in your household water.
If your water source is surface water in Denver, how might tannins enter the system?
The Denver Water Board draws from surface water sources. Surface water can naturally contain organic substances such as tannins, which derive from decaying vegetation like leaves and bark. These organic compounds may impart tea-colored tinting to water. Although federal monitoring data for tannins is not available for this system, surface water origins generally pose a higher likelihood for tannin presence compared to groundwater sources. However, the treatment processes employed by Denver Water address many organic compounds to maintain water quality.
If you want to understand your water before considering treatment, what should you record?
Before evaluating treatment options, note visible water characteristics such as unusual color (brown or tea tint), staining on fixtures, or taste changes. Document when such observations occur and whether they persist over time. Since Denver Water has no health-based violations recorded, these effects are aesthetic rather than safety issues. To confirm tannins specifically, a laboratory test targeting tannin concentration in your home’s water is essential. This will distinguish tannins from other causes of discoloration or staining.
If you want to compare Denver's water record with that of a neighboring county, how should you approach it?
Each county or water system has its own water quality profile. Denver’s record shows zero health-based violations and uses multiple treatment processes to manage surface water quality. Comparing to a neighboring county should focus on differences in source water type (surface versus groundwater), treatment methods, and public records of contaminants. Because tannins are not federally monitored here, absence of data does not mean absence of tannins. Use local lab testing for your own water for accurate comparison rather than relying solely on system data.
If you consider how many samples and wells support Denver's water data, what does that tell you?
The Denver Water Board’s data reflects over 300,000 connections serving more than 1.2 million residents, with extensive monitoring of conventional contaminants and treatment performance. However, no samples or monitoring for tannins are recorded at the federal level. This indicates that tannin data for this system is limited or managed differently. Because tannins are a naturally occurring organic compound often managed through treatment process rather than regular reporting, absence of sampling results means you should depend on individual water testing for tannins to understand your household’s situation.
If you read Denver Water’s median and range values as a homeowner, what should you understand?
The publicly available data shows that Denver Water has zero health-based violations and a very low level of lead measured in distribution samples, confirming compliance with safety requirements. However, no numerical data exists for tannins for this system. This means there is no reported evidence either for or against tannins being present in the water supply. Homeowners observing tea-colored water would not find confirmation or refutation in this official record and must look to their own water analysis to assess tannins’ presence.
The next step: To determine if tannins are affecting your household water, order a specific water quality test that measures tannin concentration. If this test finds tannins at levels that cause aesthetic issues like discoloration or staining, the C-Series Yellow, Tea-Colored Tannin Water Filter ships ready to configure and is documented as effective at addressing tannins in residential water. Confirming tannins through testing is critical before pursuing treatment options.
Where this information comes from
Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2025-12-31. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.
On record: EPA SDWIS record for DENVER WATER BOARD (CO0116001), surface water supply, serving 1287000 people: 0 health-based violations of 128 total; lead 90th percentile 0.0031 mg/L