Residents of Canberra's inner northern suburbs and across Gungahlin have been assured that their water is still safe to drink, despite the potential for water discolouration to affect homes on Wednesday night and into Thursday.
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Icon Water says it has increased the pumping of drinking water in the Canberra water supply due to the unplanned shut down of the Stromlo water treatment plant, which was damaged in Tuesday night's storms.
Water may look slightly brown in colour, a spokesperson for Icon Water said.
"An increase in the velocity of water flow or a change in direction of water flow can cause water discolouration due to naturally occurring sediment being stirred up within the network," the water supplier said in a statement.
Drinking water is now being supplied by the Googong water treatment plant to make up for the shortfall, and the company says it is pumping water around the network in order to ensure it meets the community's water needs.
While the water is safe to drink and for other household uses, customers who have experienced discoloured waters have been advised to avoid using dishwashers and washing machines if they are worried about clothing stains or clogged filters.
The discoloured water should clear through the day on Thursday but if it continues into Friday residents are advised to alert Icon Water by calling 02 6248 3111.
