I bought a Brita water tank with a filter, for inside the fridge.
This one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BSXFMRQN? ... asin_title
Main reason being we have black gunge inside the taps in this flat and however much I clean them out it tends to come back, like ribbons of black spaghetti in the water I've googled this and it's harmless mould growing inside the taps- but it's bloody horrible. Just wondering if the Britas filter would clean the water enough to drink (if we strained it)? We're currently buying 5L bottles and the cost is mounting up.
diamond lil wrote: ↑Thu Mar 12, 2026 5:15 pm
Main reason being we have black gunge inside the taps in this flat and however much I clean them out it tends to come back, like ribbons of black spaghetti in the water
Don't know about the filter, but we get similar strands of black gunk from the bathroom taps, but not the kitchen taps. All are fed directly and it seems the mold does form in the tap. The extra activity/flow stops it showing up in the kitchen. Never worried about it. A similar gunk forms on the outside of the chrome shower hose.
Which bottled water do you buy? We get Lidls Chase Spring at 39p for two litres. Just used for drinking cold or with cordial. And for reserves
Graceful Degradation! Prepping's objective summed up in two words. Turning Disaster into Mild Inconvenience by the power of fore-thought
Jenny we get Sainsbugs own, 5L for 90p. They deliver it with the weekly order. Same here though, the kitchen tap isn't as bad, as we turn on full belt and let it run for a while before using it. Andy that looks a bit big and awkward for my teeny wee kitchen
We fitted a permanent filter to the kitchen sink to create a drinking water only tap. Doulton have one that is countertop so renter suitable but it isn't cheap.... https://doulton.com/products/d-cs-d-cp-biotect-ultra
Sounds like biofilm. This is a black slimy gunge. The main constituent is bacteria. Brita filters won't reliably filter bacteria. Best solution is to take the aerator end of the tap off, it it has one, and clean in white vinegar. Mostly though, the bacteria in water and biofilm are harmless. However if bilfilm persists in multiple taps, that could be a red flag. Recurrent illnesses would also be one, of course. Also if the water has a bad smell or taste.
Biofilm can also contain mould. Mould is bigger than bacteria, but Britas won't reliably filter it.
In short, visible black slime is not normally a dangerous pathogen issue. A Brita won't help, and could make it worse.
Do any other residents have this issue? If they do, it may indicate something in the building’s water system rather than just individual taps.
Since the flats are supplied from a roof storage tank, it could be worth the housing association checking it. Typical maintenance would be to drain the tank, inspect and clean it, possibly disinfect it, and then flush the pipework.
This is standard maintenance for roof tanks and doesn’t mean anything has been neglected.
I've googled this and it's harmless mould growing inside the taps- but it's bloody horrible. Just wondering if the Britas filter would clean the water enough to drink (if we strained it)? We're currently buying 5L bottles and the cost is mounting up.
