Have you ever noticed black slime on your faucets, spouts, aerators, shower heads, toilet bowls and/or other bathroom fixtures? This gunk is often not caused by mildew or black mold, but by potentially harmless manganese bacteria.
In this article, I’ll explain:
- What causes black slime on faucets.
- Whether black slime is dangerous.
- How we solved our black slime problem for good.
I’ll also list some common methods for dealing with black slime that either don’t work or only solve the problem temporarily.
What Causes Black Slime on Faucet Aerators?
A few years ago, I found myself constantly having to remove black gunk from our faucets and spouts. After spending a number of hours researching the topic and sifting through ridiculous answers like “call the health department” and “sue your landlord,” I finally came across a reliable study from the State of Connecticut which explains that most instances of black slime are caused by oxidized manganese and the potentially harmless bacteria that feeds off of it.
Interestingly enough, the problem doesn’t occur on every faucet or appliance, but it could manifest as a black shower head or faucet, or pink or black stains in toilet bowls.
The picture below shows black residue on one of our sink faucet’s aerators:
Manganese, as well as iron bacteria in water, can stain drinking water, fixtures or even laundry. Most drinking water has traces of dissolved iron and manganese. When these minerals come into contact with oxygen (from water or air), they oxidize. Iron can tint water red (as well as things that water comes in contact with, such as fixtures), while manganese can tint water black.
Manganese is a naturally occurring metal that can be found in different types of rocks, soils and sediments. It’s often found in lakes, rivers and underground water supplies.
The black slime that accumulates on spouts is bacteria that feed on oxidized iron and manganese in the water.
Pro tip: The best way to clean the black gunk off your faucets and fixtures is by using a non-toxic cleaner. We use HypoAir’s TotalClean, which is 100% effective yet completely free of harmful toxins such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Just keep in mind that removing the black gunk provides only temporary relief if you don’t fix the underlying issue (the manganese in your water supply).
Is Black Slime on Faucets Dangerous?
Manganese, much like iron, is an essential mineral that’s important for maintaining optimal health.
“Manganese helps the body form connective tissue, bones, blood clotting factors, and sex hormones. It also plays a role in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption, and blood sugar regulation. Manganese is also necessary for normal brain and nerve function.”
However, more manganese is not necessarily better. For example, a study published in the journal Frontiers of Microbiology suggests that ingesting too much of certain metals, such as manganese and iron (from drinking water), “may cause mild symptoms such as anorexia, weakness, apathy and learning and/or understanding problems, but can also cause serious diseases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease.”
That’s why the study’s authors recommend filtering drinking water to reduce the levels of those metals. Additionally, the WHO recommends maintaining a concentration of 0.05 mg/l in drinking water. Lower levels can be easily achieved by filtration.
As far as manganese bacteria is concerned, it’s unclear how these microorganisms may impact our health.
Keep in mind that not all bacteria are harmful. In fact, the human body (especially our skin and gut), is covered in trillions of microorganisms, and most of them are crucial for maintaining a healthy existence.
However, since there’s limited research into whether or not manganese bacteria are commensal (good) or opportunistic (bad), I err on the side of caution and try to avoid consuming them by filtering my drinking water.
Unfortunately, manganese bacteria isn’t the only contaminant reducing the quality of tap water in the United States. There are a host of toxins, such as pesticides and birth control hormones, in drinking water that can make you sick and infertile in the long run.
That’s why I highly recommend filtering your drinking water with a high-quality water filtration system, regardless of whether or not you’re plagued by manganese bacteria. You can learn more about the one we installed in my Radiant Life whole house water filtration system review.
How to Determine if Your Black Slime Is Caused by Manganese
Aside from manganese bacteria, black buildup can also be caused by oxidizing pipes (ours are PVC) and dissolving rubber seals in your water heater (ours is brand new).
There is also a slim chance that what you’re seeing is mold, although this is rarely the case. Mold typically grows in damp places that see little to no water movement; as a result, it’s unlikely for mold to grow on the aerator of a faucet, unless it hasn’t been used in a long time.
If you’re concerned that the black slime in your home could be mold, call an expert or use a DIY test kit to confirm.
Unfortunately, there are no federal drinking water standards for manganese and most municipalities omit manganese levels from their annual water quality report. You can get test kits on Amazon, but reliable ones cost upwards of $200, so it may be worth a call to your city or county water authority to see if they have any recent data on manganese levels in the water supply.
In our case, I called our water provider, the Fulton County Water & Sewer Billing and Collection Division. The gentleman on the phone told me that the problem of black slime in water pipes could be resolved by flushing the main line. Our house was built in 1989, and if the main line was never flushed, I could imagine that mineral deposits, including manganese, had built up over the years.
He came out the same day, flushed the main line, and told me that the problem should be fixed. Unfortunately, flushing the main line did not resolve the problem; we still had black slime and gunk.
How to Get Rid of Black Slime on Faucets
When it came time to remodel our kitchen, we decided to install a reverse osmosis drinking water filter for the kitchen sink.
Up until that point, we had been using a Britta water pitcher with replaceable filter cartridges to filter tap water. But refilling and cleaning the pitcher became a bit of a chore, and we wanted something more convenient that could produce clean and good-tasting drinking water on-demand. So while we weren’t sure that a reverse osmosis system would solve our manganese problem, it still seemed like a good investment.
I did a lot of research and decided to invest in an RO-90 – Ultimate 5-Stage 90 GPD reverse osmosis drinking water system from APEC (shown in the picture above).
The problem with that system (and most other RO systems) is that the filtered drinking water tastes flat and is devoid of beneficial minerals such as magnesium, calcium and sodium.
That’s a problem because water attracts minerals; if minerals are not present in the water you drink, that water may absorb them from the food you eat, leading to nutritional deficiencies.
As a result, we ended up replacing our APEC system with a 14-Stage biocompatible water purification system from Radiant Life.
It was much more expensive but definitely worth the money.
Today, our kitchen sink no longer accumulates black gunk. Plus, the water tastes great and is (chemically) as close to natural spring water as possible.
If you decide to purchase a system from Radiant Life, use code MKUMMER10 for 10% off any of their products.
Reverse Osmosis Fixed our Black Slime Problem
Shortly after installing our under-the-sink RO system, I poured a glass of water from the filtered water faucet in the kitchen (the one that came with the RO system) and it occurred to me that that faucet did not have a speck of the black slime that was present everywhere else in the house.
So I unscrewed the faucet’s aerator to see if there was any buildup. There wasn’t!
If you think about it, that makes perfect sense because reverse osmosis filtration systems remove all minerals and other contaminants from the water, including iron and manganese.
While that might sound like an advantage because it means you won’t have to descale your coffee maker or steam oven anymore, as I noted in the previous section, drinking demineralized water isn’t great for your health.
That’s why I recommend only using RO systems that contain a remineralization cartridge. Better yet, look for systems that restructure the drinking water to make it as similar to fresh spring water as possible.
What About Whole House Water Filtration Systems?
Technically, you could apply the same principle and install a whole house water filtration system. That’s ultimately what we decided to do.
But there are some caveats to consider:
- Make sure to get a filtration system that effectively removes a wide array of contaminants. Most whole house water “filtration” systems on the market are just water softeners that don’t remove enough contaminants to be effective.
- Be prepared to increase your water bill if you go with an RO system because they produce a lot of wastewater as part of the filtration process. (The membrane that catches contaminants needs to get flushed out, which the system does automatically; this process requires significant water usage.)
You can find different types of water filtration systems on the market. Be aware that most of them do not use reverse osmosis to filter all of your water.
Instead, they soften your water by adding salts that bind to the minerals that cause hard water, such as calcium and magnesium.
There are two reasons for this:
- You need high water pressure to apply reverse osmosis. The pressure from the filtration system back into your water supply line is lower than the intake pressure. That’s usually not a problem for an individual faucet, but it can be an issue if you try to filter the water from the main supply line.
- It wastes a lot of water. An RO-based system uses on average three gallons of tap water for every gallon of filtered water it produces.
As a result of these factors, a typical whole house water filter (i.e., a water softener) may not be able to remove manganese, and thus it will not solve your black gunk problem.
Consequently, installing an under-the-sink filtration system where you need it is likely the better and more affordable option.
However, if you want to go all-in and remove as many contaminants as possible from the water in your whole house, you can do what we did and install a high-quality whole house filtration system at the point where the water supply line enters the home.
The system we installed uses an advanced media (filter) blend of mixed bed carbon, zeolite and sediment base to remove a wide array of contaminants, including many metals.
Doing so will remove most toxins (such as chlorine) and impurities (such as the manganese that causes black slime) from the water supply.
Strategies That Will Not Permanently Fix Black Slime
When you search for terms like “how to get rid of the black gunk on faucets or toilet bowls” you will find a lot of suggestions from well-meaning people that either don’t work or that only temporarily solve the problem.
Remember, the black slime is caused by minerals (manganese and iron) in your water supply. So the only way to permanently address the issue is by removing those minerals from your water.
One of the few ways to accomplish that is by using a high-quality filter or reverse osmosis system. The ideas below will not get rid of black slime for good.
- Regularly cleaning affected areas.
- Using chemicals or natural remedies to clean the affected areas.
- Flushing the main water supply line.
- Replacing pipes.
- Installing a water softener or other cheap whole house filter that does not have the required filtering capacity.
- Toilet bowl cleaner (which may damage the valves and rubber seals in the tank).
Summary: Black Slime on Faucets and Fixtures Is Usually Caused Manganese and Iron in the Water Supply
Manganese-feeding bacteria (black slime) looks nasty, and while the evidence about whether it’s harmful to your health is inconclusive, I would prefer not to ingest it when taking a sip of water from the tap.
Additionally, knowing that most tap water in the United States is contaminated with all kinds of toxins (and even birth control hormones), installing a good water filtration system was a no-brainer for us.
By combining a whole house filtration system with an under-the-sink RO system that remineralizes our drinking water, we can rest assured that we have access to clean water throughout the house and won’t be bothered by black, nasty-looking stains or slime.
Have you noticed manganese in your drinking water and if so, how did you get rid of it?
Michael Kummer is a healthy living enthusiast and CrossFit athlete whose goal is to help people achieve optimal health by bridging the gap between ancestral living and the demands of modern society.
Medical Disclaimer
The information shared on this blog is for educational purposes only, is not a substitute for the advice of medical doctors or registered dieticians (which we are not) and should not be used to prevent, diagnose, or treat any condition. Consult with a physician before starting a fitness regimen, adding supplements to your diet, or making other changes that may affect your medications, treatment plan or overall health. MichaelKummer.com and its owner MK Media Group, LLC are not liable for how you use and implement the information shared here, which is based on the opinions of the authors formed after engaging in personal use and research. We recommend products, services, or programs and are sometimes compensated for doing so as affiliates. Please read our Terms and Conditions for further information, including our privacy policy.
Iron and manganese exist in the water supply in their reduced (ferrous and manganous) states. There should not be a significant amount of either in a public water system but those on well water might see quite high levels in the hundreds of parts per billion. These are not harmful but can be a nuisance. They do however provide a source of nutrition for oxidizing bacteria, some species of which can be harmful.
Air will oxidize these metals as will chlorine. When oxidized, manganese turns black and iron turns reddish brown. In their oxidized states, they precipitate as suspended particles and are quite easily filtered, but they can also remain as residue on pipe/tube surfaces after the water has evaporated away and accumulate over time.
An RO system will remove these metals but there is one thing that suppliers of home RO systems do not tell you. The pre filter ahead of the RO is there not just to remove sediment, it is there to remove chlorine. RO membranes are degraded by chlorine. It’s a good thing to remove the chlorine for improving the taste of the water, but once removed, there is no longer a disinfectant present. Chlorine (or chloramine) is in our water supply for a reason, to manage bacterial infections in the distribution system. Removing chlorine at the point of use is fine until there is a bacterial infection in the RO discharge tubing, the line going from the RO permeate outlet to the faucet at your sink. That line can become a haven for all sorts of slime-producing bacteria.
This can also happen to your permeate accumulator tank. I have seen major infections in these tanks, with long strands of bacterial slime nearly plugging the tubing lines leading away from the tank. This is one reason to opt for a tankless RO system if you can get one. But even tankless RO systems have a segment of tubing from the RO to the faucet that can get infected.
The tubing line from the RO to the faucet should be cleaned periodically and disinfected with chlorine. To do this, it is necessary to remove the tubing connection at the RO and then flow chlorinated water through the tubing from the tap all the way down. Using pipe cleaners is also good to break the biofilm. I believe bacteria actually enters from the faucet and eventually works its way down the tubing. The RO system is easy to disinfect and instructions for doing that are in your manual. But there is no mention of disinfecting the faucet and its tubing run.
Someone needs to come up with an innovative way to clean this short run of tubing to make it more convenient for consumers. A plastic that resisted the formation of biofilm would be great, with that plastic lining the faucet as well.
I work for a company that supplies industrial water treatment systems. Our systems are large, supplying water for factories or cities. Point of use systems under the sink have similar challenges as large treatment systems, only on a different scale.
My two cents.
Thanks for the background info. I consider adding chlorine to drinking water as misguided as adding fluoride. Both have significant side effects. I grew up in Austria (where my family still lives) and there is no chlorine or fluoride in drinking water, yet nobody gets sick and dental health is better than in the US. Even though we use UV (after the membrane) to kill algae and other microbes, I have yet to see any sign of slime or build up on any of our other faucets (that are behind a non-RO whole-house filtration system).
Good afternoon,
I have been experiencing this black slime problem since I moved into my new (to me) home. I was hoping you could offer some insight… I question whether this is a manganese issue or something else, because I am only experiencing the black slime in the bathroom of the house. It has all the trademark descriptors that you reference; black, slimy, recurs after cleaning approximately every week, located around the faucets/showerheads/stained toilet bowl etc. but, it is only in the bathroom. The kitchen faucet, washing machine, and dishwasher are all very clean and completely free of this black slime.
I checked the piping and it all runs from the same water main, with no separate filtration, and all constructed of (newer) copper piping, so I am puzzled as to how this could only occur in one room?? Did you have the same experience, or was the black slime produced at all your water sources?
Thank you,
Erik
Hey Erik,
We didn’t experience the issue on all faucets either — especially not those we used frequently. I suspect that the material of the aerator inside the faucet might be a factor. In other words, the bacteria that feed on manganese might have an easier time to attach to certain surfaces than others.
Cheers,
Michael
Thank you for this information. Another reason how money CAN bring happiness. sigh.
Hello Michael,
very informative and well written article, thanks for providing. My question: we have two bathrooms on same floor, water is provided from same source, yet one gets black gunk in faucets as well as staining in bath tub and toilet bowl but the other bathroom is free of this dilemma? I can’t figure it out unless it’s a pipe issue (PVC). Any suggestions? Thanks.
Regards,
John
It could be related to how often you use the bathrooms (how much water travels through the pipes and faucets), materials (pipes, faucets, aerators…) and something else. Never figured that out completely and after we installed a filter, the problem was gone and I stopped investigating :)
Do you wipe down the shower as same as the kitchen sink, I think not hence the problem
!
I don’t understand what the State of Florida is doing with the water. We have some much rain water falling on our state and we just fail to do anything with it! We should have wells all over the state and refineries and process this water!
I moved into a old home in the city of Conway SC 2 years ago. It was built in 1948 and had the issue with dripping faucet only in one bathroom that I use and black gunk.(gross)
This is interesting because I have a skin condition that no dermatologist can figure out.
Got diagnosed with Grovers disease and nothing has helped me in the last year and a half of treatment. I’m really curious about what my water is doing to my skin and health?????
Help needed from any persons experience with skin issues from water,shower heads etc…..
I am thinking my problem is some type of mold……..This is effecting my health,mindset,everyday life.
Sincerely worried….
Hi Debra,
there is a chance your skin condition isn’t caused by the water but by an autoimmune reaction to the food you’re eating. Check out https://michaelkummer.com/plants-vs-meat/ and https://michaelkummer.com/metabolic-health/ for more information.
Cheers,
Michael
…old post just saw, we have black gunk bathroom shower head and toilet i too have dermatology problem, reddening face and burning and no one can figure it out, could it be from daily shower?
Hi Valerie,
Your skin issues could stem from the water, but it’s more likely they stem from your diet. What many people don’t realize is that all plants have defense chemicals to deter animals (and humans) from eating their vital parts (seeds, stems, leaves, skin…). You might just be consuming too much of the wrong plants.
You might also have a gut issue (e.g., leaky gut) that allows some of those toxins into your bloodstream where they cause an immune response (inflammation). Dietary changes can fix those issues. See https://michaelkummer.com/plants-vs-meat/
What do we do if we live in an apartment building and can’t actually filter the water as like in a house??
I’ve been there one month and the black sludge growing from one of the faucets almost looks like mushrooms dripping out. The chlorine smell is outrageous strong and my skin has taken a toll since showering there. The other faucets have either a white slime or orange slime…
I’ve seen filters you can screw onto the shower head. See https://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/water/shower-bath-garden?aff=103.
When we left Florida (where we had a RO system under the sink) and moved to Maine we had a charcoal whole house system installed. The installer told us that it isn’t advisable to use Ro for a whole house system because it would eventually ruin your pipes. The new system cost a lot of $$, but I will say that, not only does the water taste fresh and not chlorinated, but since you’re skin is an organ, I feel better bathing in water that has been filtered by charcoal. Charcoal is actually healthy for you.
When we first had the system installed, I didin’t like the taste of the water. It was bitter tasting to me. But after about two weeks, it now tastes fresh and not full of chemicals.
Hello, my name is Kelly and I am so grateful for your writings. I have well water. It looks and appears to taste fine; however I too am getting and noticed when I moved in this 3 year new home that there was black gunk under toilet rim, in sink drains, and the pop ups do not come out. I was thinking it to be mold. I found a fuzzy patch under the sink. The air conditioner filter was greasy brown and sunk in. But the house was mostly spotless. I am now noticing my clear glass getting a hue of charcoal color to it. None of the screen can be changed on any of the water faucets or laundry devices. The water heater is new. When the washer spins I can hear the pipes rattle in an area away from the laundry room in the wall. Also in the concrete slab I can feel warm spots when running the washer. And yesterday I saw hair in my kitchen drain. I have septic system. I do not have any drainage issues but brush my hair over the toilet to prevent blockage in shower drain. I have used drain gnat prevention and do not have drain gnats. Have had mold testing and the test came back normal range for where I live which is on 5 acres. So yes mold. But not out of range. Just wondering if you had any thought. Also found some dried skinny sludge in my dryer. I’m assuming it came from washer. There was also black stuff with greasy texture in fridge. Could it possibly be from the water line going to ice and cold water. I had it disconnected yesterday to avoid drain gnats. I find those mechanisms gross anyway. Take a close look if you have one.
It’s the plumbing . We just moved to a new condo and noticed it for the first time ever … Having lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for 50 years. My guess: pex tubing, or the water heater.
Where you able to fix this or make it better?
Sadly, experts are young without age there is no wisdom. Plumbing 30 years ago was mostly copper pipes, which kill bacteria/mold. The modern day home builders went to CHEAPLY produced pipes aka PVC and thus could continue to make profits and sell these poorly constructex home to gotta have a hoyse buyers.
Whenever the city changed the water chemical to chlorine at the beginning of the “stay at home” pandemic, the black gunk cleared out from my faucets and back tank of the toilet… When the city switched back again to chloramine it came back. …. I don’t think chloramine is as effective as they think it is.
All our pipes are copper and we have the black slime problem on faucets, etc…
We still have grime on our RO spigot at the mouth, and after reading your post, I believe it is probably what you described, and what RO eliminated for you. The latter would lead me to believe that your system doesn’t include a remineralizer. Does your RO system not have a remineralizer between the filter and the faucet? Drinking water with NO minerals can be just as harmful, since the water will leach the needed minerals from your body if it is 100% “pure.”
Hi Lee,
no, we don’t have a remineralizer as part of our RO system. We get sufficient minerals from other sources, including food) that any potential “leaching” isn’t an issue. Based on the regular blood tests we do (for reasons unrelated to drinking water), none of us suffer from an electrolyte deficiency.
Cheers,
Michael
Hello Michael,
I do not know if you will see this but we have been battling black and pink slime in our sinks for 20+ years. We have tried numerous filters and have had multiple tests done and the results always come back that our water is great. Just had our last test done a week ago and all is good but we still have the slime. Chlorine bleach will hold it at bay for a week maybe two but then it is back.
So today I started doing some research and found a very interesting answer to what I think my problem is. It is a bacteria known as Serratia marcescens. It is air borne and feeds off of phosphates from soaps and shampoos and fatty substances from mucus and fecal matter in moist areas such as bathrooms and kitchens. There is no filter that will stop it as it being air borne so you need to clean it with a bleach based cleaner and it is said to ventilate your bathroom after showering for at least 15 minutes via fan. Open windows adds to the problem.I hope this can give someone some guidance and help to a very common problem.
Thank you,
Todd
Hi Todd,
Serratia marcescens can make you seriously ill and the bacteria produces red and not black residue. So I don’t think that’s what you are dealing with.
I was experiencing an out break of full body hives. First I thought it was allergies to a new feral.cat that’s been hanging around my porch. Then the new laundry detergent i was using. Then i found a bunch of ants in the washing machine and thought it was microscopic dead ant body parts stuck into my clothing and prickling my skin. Then the A/C unit. Then kidney failure!
My physician and i tirelessly for 6 months tried to diagnose the problem, eliminating one thing after another. Then i narrowed it down to my shower head.
I dipped it in a solution of lime scale remover then bleach and black sludge came floating out of it.
It took 8 treatments in bleach solution to remove all the black stuff and i bottled a bit to give to my physician. She says it was manganese oxide.
My rashes went away after that.
I am copy/pasting from my above reply, but what does your city use for water purification?
Whenever the city changed the water chemical to chlorine at the beginning of the “stay at home” pandemic, the black gunk cleared out from my faucets and back tank of the toilet… When the city switched back again to chloramine it came back. …. I don’t think chloramine is as effective as they think it is.
Can you tell us more about your rash? I have a sudden rash and that is what lead me to this page…
Thank you.
I manage a block of flats for older people in the UK, and several residents have…black sludge coming through their pipes, toilets, showers etc. It’s a communal system like the maze to end all mazes. Your information has really helped. We’ve been told before it’s ‘harmless bacteria’, but some of the older generation are incredibly houseproud, didn’t have it when they lived in a house etc. Your article has given me lots of useful information. Thank you!
I live in a modern block of flats – built 1963. Previously Ive lived in houses dating 1620 – 1942 so this is a very new building. This blog and comments is fantastic. I have never experianced this black mold until this flat :-o
I note I have been drinking the water for 10 years now, I have noted strange black mould deposits in my Loo (water outlet), on shower head, on cold water tap in bathroom.
Answer – its the pipes
PVC pipes supply all my bathroom. We have Steel down main water supply. Iron does not kill bacteria. Historicly Lead – pb (now banned as it kills people) or Copper – cu (kills bacteria but not people) was used.
We, too, have this problem. We live in a pre-war building in the middle of NYC/Manhattan, built in 1926, with 175 units and we own our (co-op) apartment. It has only been happening for about a year and a half. I have questioned the woman who lives in the apartment above us and the one below us, and both said they don’t have this problem. However, we get black sludge coming out of the hand-held shower connection and the shower head. Does not appear to be coming out of the kitchen faucet. Living in an apartment building makes it impossible to install any kind of filter system discussed by others here. A reverse osmosis system is not an alternative for us.
I’m concerned that at our advanced ages (72 & 80) this could be a health hazard.
Ha, I posted on a website about how I messed up an aerator cleaning the black mold off of it, with the purpose of praising Delta Faucet for shipping me free replacements parts at their expense on a 15 year old faucet. All the responses were, WTF, do you live next to a sewage pond?? I thought everyone had this issue.
Great article, and I am 15 miles closer ( Cumming Ga ) to the Lake Lanier Watershed than you in Alpharetta. Switching the dog to distilled water tomorrow. :-D
Did you resolve the manganese water problem? I’m in Gwinnet, using the same source.
Hi Michael! Great article. I’m thinking we have the same thing at our house since it looks quite similar but it only seems to build up in one bathroom sink. It sounds like you all had it building up in all sinks, right?
Also, how long did it usually take to come back? For us after cleaning it didn’t come back for a few months (it was fine through winter but now that summer here it seems to be coming back). How does that compare with your experience? Thanks again for sharing!
We had it on various sinks but not all of them and the gunk would return within 2 weeks or so. I guess that depends on the grade of bacterial contamination in the source water and the temperature. Warmer temps make bacteria grow faster.
Hi Michael. Great blog. We only have this “dripping” (ugh) from one bathroom faucet. Have had city and county come flush/ check. Have had faucet replaced. What should I do? The one you reference looks like it won’t work. I have a marble countertop. Can I get something just for that faucet… that still uses that faucet? Thx
Hey Sue!
Thanks for the feedback! There are some screw-on water filters that might work, but I haven’t tried it. Alternatively (but much more expensive), you can get a whole house filter (not softener) that also filters out minerals. I recently learned those exist but they cost a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.
Cheers,
Michael
The USA spends billions on illegals and foreign
wars , why can’t we help our owen people?
Excellent blog! I’ve seen far too many blogs, etc. that are written with horrible grammar and/or spelling. Yours is magnificent! The piece on black slime was extremely helpful, and I plan to read more of your posts.
I whole-heartedly agree!
We bought a house that was just built less than a year ago and we have black mold coming out our faucets, back of toilets, showers, in brand new washing machine etc. in our back yard is a reservation land that the water comes right up to the basement… I am constantly sick and had two spinal surgery’s in one year and need more surgeries but I cannot heal and like I said constantly sick really bad!! I’m scared and don’t know what to do!!?? Also my husband put in a hole house filtration system that he says is the best one out there…??? But there is still black mold!! Also our house is completely sealed tightly.. knowing all of this what can I do?? Can you please help me?
Who was your home builder? I ask bc we have a new home and have the same issue. Members of our HOA tend to believe the issue is only with our builder but I can’t imagine the builder has anything to do with the water… so I’m just wondering. Thank you
I live in Brandon, FL (outside of Tampa) and have this EXACT issue. Black slime/gunk building up anywhere there is consistent moisture – like toilet bowls, faucets, and showers. After it’s cleaned, it only takes about a week to start building up again. The county blames the community and the community just shrugs while offering no solutions. Clearly this is a serious water quality issue that my county/state, and more, believe sweeping under the rug is the best solution. It’s absurd to think the only option is to get a water filtration system…and if we all do that, that’s the first step in privatizing water.
I’m in Seffner same issue with bathroom sink. Is a filtration system the only option?
Hi Gary,
to get rid of the slime-causing minerals, you need a filter. For under the sink, a simple RO filter should do. There are also whole-house options that filter — not to be confused with water softeners — those won’t remove the offending minerals (manganese and iron).
I’m looking into whole home water treatment systems for this exact same thing in Peachtree Corners/Dunwoody, GA. One of the guys mentioned kinetico which I had back in Vegas and it worked well, although didn’t suffer from black slime there. Funny enough though it looks like kinetico has a solution for this exact thing.
I may go with this solution since it’s the only one that appears to address this exact issue. We’ll see.
I have been battling this slime for years. Chris, did you go with the Kinetico Aerator? Did it work?
Chris, did you get the aerator and did it work?
Mike, any thoughts on why the black slime is only in one bathroom?
Hi Chantal,
I can only assume that you have manganese contamination on/in the faucet or the pipe or the aerator used facilitates quicker growth.
Cheers,
Michael
Whew! We’re in Orlando, FL, and – cleaning the kitchen last night – I was horrified to see the black slime on our kitchen faucet. I cleaned it off, and I was relieved when hydrogen peroxide didn’t foam up (suggesting scary bacteria). But, this morning, your article put my mind at ease. Your faucet photo looks almost exactly like what ours did, before I cleaned it. Thank you!
I too live in Orlando with crusty, black build-up in my faucet aerators!
At first I was horrified but, after calling our water department OUC, they confirmed it was manganese buildup and not a health problem.
These minerals could be part of the terrible taste of our city water.
I thought this was a real article, not a sales pitch. ????????????
Hi Brian: what is it you think I’m selling?
Amazing article, i am glad to read this article ,thanks for sharing.
I’d never seen this problem before in my life until moving to the country from the city about 5 years ago. I was completely baffled and, like many others, tried bleach to keep the black stuff from growing wild in my shower and on faucet aerators. That’s not good for septic tanks, though, so I didn’t like that solution. Then we started having problems with it growing in the drains – some more than others – and I about lost my mind trying to control it.
Then I found a product which DOES help control it in the drains. It is called InVade Bio Drain gel (I get mine from Amazon). You pour it into the drain, being careful to make sure it flows down the sides of the pipe – you have to kind of pour it down the edges – leave it at least overnight and flush with hot water. If there’s a lot of buildup it will take several treatments. Once clean you should only have to do it once a week or every other week, depending on use. It has some kind of probiotics in it which eats the slime. They also sell a concentrate which you can use with a hand-held foamer to fill your drain with foam. That option works VERY well.
This product also works in toilets, use a sprayer so that you can spray it under the rim. Spray it on and leave it for as long as you can. I spray my shower stall about once a month to keep it from growing in the grout lines.
Upthread it is mentioned that places which stay moist grow the slime, I observed that also. Another way to keep it at bay is to run a small fan in the bathroom which dries up the shower or sink basin and you get less slime.
As far as the sink aerators, I use an old toothbrush and any soap that’s handy (dishwashing liquid, spray cleaners, etc.) and scrub them once a week to keep the buildup off of them. Once they are good and clean it only takes a quick scrub to keep them clean.
It’s still a hugely annoying problem, for example I got a power toothbrush a few months ago and the other day I noticed that the slime was trying to grow in the indentations of the toothbrush body. Sigh. I get tired of having to be so vigilant about it. At least I know it isn’t harmful.
Left something out: Once they are good and clean it only takes a quick scrub to keep them clean.
I can look straight down our shower drain and it is so gross! One of our bathroom sinks was so clogged with slime stuff it wouldn’t drain and no harsh chemicals got rid of it. Had to snake it and that pulled out a ton of slimy stuff.
Thanks for this recommendation I will definitely try it!
PS do you get black crud, mold looking stuff behind kitchen faucet? I feel like we have to could it monthly. Ugh!
Are you certain it is not mold or a health threat? My daughter has developed terrible allergy-type health issues that her doctor said may be related to mold exposure. Her bathroom has developed black gunk (mold?) building up around her faucet spout and the edges of her undermounted lavatory where it meets the countertop. Looks like mold to my inexperienced eye.
Several people on this page are saying they’ve had health issues. Since it’s growing on my RO filter faucet, I’m betting it’s mold. Someone with a microscope could determine the difference.
I live in an apartment and have terribly hard water. Black gunk is constantly coming out of the bathroom faucets and even in the washer/dryer . Is there a way to get rid of it? I’m not going to be doing any work on this since I’m renting but I didn’t know how to clean it or what to tell the apartment complex people to do. It’s so disgusting!
Same problem here in Berea Kentucky but only since we moved from a house with city water to a house with county water. Thank you for the reassurance that the black gunk and brown stains are not mold! We drink filtered water but still hate the idea of gunk in our showers and sinks. I have never liked using Clorox but now I’m constantly using it on faucets, shower heads, drains and in the toilets. Whole house filtration sounds like a better idea. Hope it also works on the hard white scale in our water.
Good information about the black slime coming out of faucet. Thanks this was very helpful. Glad to know it’s not a health threat.
Hi, I am hoping someone may have experience with sanitizing / flushing a plastic water line running from a water filtration system in a basement up a floor level to water dispenser on a refrigerator and this same plastic pipe supplies water to a drinking water faucet at the kitchen sink. Gray, slimy tubular slime has begun to come out of the kitchen drinking water faucet and the refrigerator water dispenser when used. How can I disinfect the plastic pipe that runs the filtered water to these areas? Has anyone done this before? Any ideas?
I have been able to get rid of the black gunk in faucets and under the toilet rim by using a steamer. For the toilet, point the steamer attachment into the holes under the rim. It takes a while,but the stuff eventually loosens and can be flushed out. It wil last 1-2 weeks before it comes back, which is much longer than when using toilet bowl cleaner or bleach.
Water utilities use a phosphate blend to help with corrosion of pipes. The black slime on your aerators, shower heads and drains is a form of mold. It is not actually coming from the water supply but attracks to the water. When washing with soap, the phosphates in the soap is food for the bacteria (mold). Damp, dark and now food for the mold leads to the perfect environment for it to grow. The reason it comes back so often is because you have not killed the spore. Clean with bleach, white vinegar etc..must let it soak for a couple of minutes and then scrub. This should prolong it from coming back as fast. Also, try drying your fixtures after doing this and you will notice the problem will not re-occur due to there is not moisture for it to thrive on. The pink stains are also a form of bacteria (mold). This works the same as the other, it just leaves a pink residue but left un attended it will turn black. As far as the manganese, it will cause black staining on fixtures, especially on your porcelain toilet tanks. Depending on the water company’s treatment techniques this should mostly be taken care of at the water treatment facility. Phosphate will help sequester the iron/manganese. Hopefully this will help. But whenever in doubt call the water utility and have it tested.
Mold and bacteria are NOT the same thing..
Mold is a fugi ..
Bacteria is.. a bacteria!!
Bacteria is NOT mold! Do your research. Mold spores are not killed by bleach either; they are only bleached, or lightened and no longer visible. Check it out!
You’re right! Mold actually feeds off of bleach. It thrives off of it.
Mold and bacteria are different species and bleach doesn’t kill mold.
Does anyone know if the black slime that sits in your front loader rim is the same harmless bacteria or what type of bacteria it is?
My ENT who’s a sinus and mold disease /mold environmental expert says front loaders breed and multiply mold and to only use top loaders.
We have the same issues here in Northern California (near the Oregon border): black slime quickly building up under the toilet rim and in all the drains. The issues Dr H mentioned are frightening as we both already have autoimmune illnesses (CFS / ME and Environmental Illness) from exposure to chemicals where each of us used to work. We just recently got a Doulton water filter (it’s used by orgs like Doctors Without Borders) because none of the other filters on the market are good enough to remove all we need taken out of the water… We’re really happy with the Doulton, but now fretting about the water from the shower and faucets… If nothing works to manage the manganese-eating bacteria… wow…
We moved here to get away from a place that grew pink-red fuzzy mold throughout the entire water system…
I thinking now that there is no safe water anywhere here… I’ve talked with folks who’ve been studying water systems across the US, and their consensus was that we’re heading for a water crisis of epic proportions… that all we can do is the best we can…
When we remodeled, we installed low flow water faucets in all bathrooms. Empty-nesters that we are, only the master bathroom gets frequent use and is the only bathroom with the problem.
My thought has been that the density of the layers of flow-restricting screens could be restricting airflow from drying out the faucet water pipe. So far we haven’t been able to unscrew a cap to remove screens due to design at end of faucet. The dampness stays 24/7/365 creating a great potential for slime.
We don’t have the same problem with the shower head.
(We have a Bawell Platinum so bring water to the bathroom for toothbrushing.)
In Buford ga here. New built home. Electric water heater. I was blaming the lower water pressure in my house for this. It’s nice to see this article and others having the same problem. It builds up every faucet and shower head in my house .. it’s more like it is in the water it seems sometimes, than just built up. Atleast that was my concern. After my drinking water in my new fridge and ice cubes from it had little black specks.
I increased my water pressure hoping this would solve it for me. As the psi was around 50. I have it set to 75 now.
I know whole home filtration system won’t work on this. But I am sure there are other options?
Ditto in Pensacola, Florida. Thanks for your research efforts so we know that while this is nasty looking we at least don’t need to call a HAZ-MAT team to save us. And we aren’t going to spend $$$$$ for a whole house water filter system.
And, of course, given this is 2018, we’ll be lucky if the EPA survives, much less does anything to improve our water quality.
I live in Barrow Cty, Ga, just north of Gwinnett and have the black gunk. I have lived in the County for 30 yrs. Had well water till 3 yrs ago, when we moved and now have city water. Never had it with the well water. But thanks to Michael, I now know what it is, and know we wont get sick, but still discusting! One thought added to all these comments: it seems to only show up in areas that stay damp even when not used frequently. The guy that said, change your O rings might have something. In addition to heavy gunk around toilet rims and airated faucets, the toilet that is not used frequently, but has a slow drip of water from the rim inside the bowl has a black streak at that spot. The faucets that stay wet all night (I test by putting a dry paper towel to them in the morning) have the gunk, the dry ones don’t have the gunk. The hand held shower head has gunk only on lower end of shower head, which stays damp when hanging in its holder. BTW, I also have pvc pipes. I may try removing all the airator screens from faucets that seem to hold moisture there.
Dr H., you’re scaring me! I live in colombia greater area in SC and my house was built in 2012 with city water and pvc pipping. I thought it was a nuisance only by reading previous posts. I have MS which causes same symptoms as some you mentioned. I don’t need any other health problems! I have a tankless hot water heater but notice sulpher smell and the gunk in cold water as well as hot, and in toilet. This is a horrible issue even without health risks and seems nobody had a cure. Anybody found permanent cure? Experienced illness? Water company or plumber made no suggestions? I’ve gotten stomachs flu type symptoms when drinking the water without filtering. Despite water being clear and odorless. Anybody else?
Yes, I also have stomach flu type symptoms. I’m glad someone posted a source instead of just repeating speculation.
Physician and water quality research chemist perspective: Elevated manganese in drinking water is dangerous. The development of guidelines ignored research and contained mathematical errors. See below. Showering in water with elevated manganese allows water droplets containing it to go directly to the brain via the olfactory bulb and the bloodstream via the lungs, bypassing the normal intestinal regulation. Most of the effects are neuro-behavioral. Poor cognitive development and impulse control are the result of early exposure during pregnancy and infancy. Increased fighting behavior was seen in animal studies. Manganese in hair samples correlates with violent criminal behavior in prisoners. It may be a co-factor in ALS and hereditary Parkinson’s disease. There’s a lot of data emerging on the topic. Levels in groundwater are particularly high in the NC Piedmont. If your water is black, get the levels checked, treat if high, and recheck to ensure that the problem is solved.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26268322
For more details, scroll to the part of the citation that says free text, click, and read the section on manganese. Note that black slime occurs at levels of 20 micrograms/L (ppb), lower than the suggested max of 50 ppb.
Thank you all for quashing my fears. The good news is ~ life just goes on. Use the Britta and just keep cleaning it off. ☺
SE Wisconsin must have the same issues.
NE Wisconsin has the same issues too! It’s been a nightmare since we moved into our house 5 years ago. The water department is coming this week to test our water and we will determine our next steps after we get the results.
Same problem here in CT. Dont remember having this until the low flow plumbing products came to market. I removed the aerators from all our sinks and no more black goop in the sinks. The shower heads can usually be taken apart to remove the reducers that limit flow as well to help. I would rather have a higher water bill then drink black mold..
Very helpful info, thank you. Does anyone know what kind of “harmless bacteria” are involved? Asking because I’ve been ill ever since we moved into our house 4 years ago, and the doctors have determined I have a sensitivity to mold. I’ve done mold testing, which came back negative.
Manganese and iron.
That is not the name of a bacteria. How about posting a source?
Feel free to get a standardized test kit to confirm: https://www.astm.org/Standards/D858.htm
Thanks for starting a dialog on this problem. We are in Augusta and have great water from the tests we’ve done. We have the same issue though only in our 3 year old pool house. It has PEX supply lines. Our main house has no problems and has all copper pipe. Copper is a natural retardant to bacteria so I am suspecting that the PEX is allowing this bacteria to clog our sink faucet and build up in the toilet.
I live in Benson, NC and this has been an issue for me for a couple of years but not until recently had I noticed that the gunk had collected under the bathroom faucet and in the toilet. It has always been in the pipes because I remember if the my kids dropped something in the sink I couldn’t stand putting my hand to grab it because of the black gunk that accumulates. My tub was stopped up, I didn’t know from what, but I decided to use the plunger and there was so much buildup gunk that came up amongst other things but the black gunk was unbelievable. My toilet usually has pink and black streaks. I have never drank the water here since moving here because I’m a firm believer that water should have no taste. I drink Deer Park and have a Brita filter on my faucet. I don’t like for my kids to put their mouths on the faucet now since I cleared all that gunk off of it. I’ve read it’s not harmful but the look of it got my skin to crawling and I’ve been bleaching everything even though I can’t stand it because it gives me headaches. It really seems weird that its doesn’t get any better with cleaning.
Own a 3 family house this black non slime crud only occurs on first floor shower and tub toilet sink on same line has nothing some appears on kitchen sink around Pur filter cartridge. Shower head also. First floor has separate water heater. Any suggestions ???
Live in Amherst NH. Just moved from one side of town to another. Both homes had same water supplier. New home show the signs of manganese. Will call supplier Thanks for the great information.
We have the same problem here in Oklahoma. The house is a little over 10 years old & there is black ring around toilets & bathroom sinks. I thought it was due to hard water. I previously lived in another city in a house that was built in the late 1930’s & never had this problem. Makes me wonder if it doesn’t have something to do with the type of plumbing pipes that are used in newer houses. Wish I could find a way to prevent it.
Thank you for this information! Have the same problem in Durham, NC. Relieved, like you, that this is primarily a cosmetic issue. Will continue to stock up on the CLR – that stuff works like a charm!
E Thank you for your information, most helpful. Ive noticedththe slime for many months. Living in an apartment building,condo, doesn’t help me . Ive asked about the water clean out in the building, and had Fl.Water Co. Test the water coming into this building. Results were negative for this slme. I also decided to redo my RO water system in my kitchen. And have a mineral cartridge added to the system because RO removes the minerals in the process. Thank you for your helpful information .
I have the same issue in Powell Ohio, and it drives me crazy! I have to clean my faucets and toilets continuously. Thank you for the great information for I too have been worried about the health issue.
My question is how to clean it
Thank you. We are moving to an older house in Phoenix–closed in June and came down to start moving in at the end of August. House empty for two months and upon arrival the toilets were coated with black slime–bowls and tanks. Never saw anything like it in Chicago. Now at least we know what it is. Still not sure what to do about it, but at least We’re not quite as freaked out as we were yesterday. Thank you. A plumber told us he had never seen it before and was probably a result of hard water, but not organic. Sorry, all you have to do is look at this gunk to know it’s alive and growing!
If I am not wrong, then I think it is one of most common problems which is usually found in many homes. It is mainly due to the old metal impelled water line having hard or well water. Thus, if you want to eliminate this problem permanently, then you should either install water softener or replace all the old metal pipe lines with a new one. No doubt, it is tough task and requires lot of effort and experience for its effectual completion. So, we must take the help of a professional contractor who will do same job effortlessly. As it is a cheap fix, hence, we should never neglect it, otherwise it may become a costly hassle in near future.
I live in Sarasota, Fl and have the black gunk problem. It also accumulates in my Keurig water tank. I drink most of my water either from the filtered fridge water dispenser or bottled.
I think I have the answer…..as I have had the black slime on my bathroom faucets. My initial plan was to install a whole house filter, which I purchased from Culligan. This is primarily a filter for some particulates and chorine, and it flushes itself every week or so. However…we still have black slime. What I noticed was that some faucets had NO black slime (my laundry tub). But our Moen faucets in all of the bathrooms had it. What appears to be the root of the problem is that each faucet handle has 2 O rings, which deteriorate slightly over time. Although there is not a heavy dripping sound from the bathroom faucets, I noticed that all of them were moist all the time. So replacing the O rings (on mine there are two per faucet handle) will stop the water from accumulating at the faucet aerator. If there is no constant stream of water, then the bacteria would not be able to develop. BTW it is cheaper to buy a pack of O Rings, if you have Moen (each of their cartridges are $13 each, but a pack of O rings for the whole house would be $10.)
Good point about the O rings deteriorating. Good for at least troubleshooting.
Brian its now 2022, I have a question I have all moen faucets so you may be right about the O rings, but what kind of I rings do I buy to replace whats a better one than the ones Moen uses?
Hi, I came across your site two years ago after we had just moved into our new construction home and discovered this black sludge forming around our bathroom faucets and building up in toilets/washing machine. Our cool water also has a horrible stench that dissipates after a few seconds of running. Has anyone else had smell associated with this black slime issue? We have contacted the city and had water tested and was suggested to flush lines and water heater with bleach but I’m wondering how much good that would do if the stench is coming from the cool water? Has anyone figured out cause and resolution of this issue?
Best,
Jay
The cause yes (manganese) but no solution. If this is happening with new constructions, the source has to be the water or building materials.
A water softener must have a salt Tank connecting this will remove manganese , magnesium, calcium, lead, iron and gross alpha this is considered to be a a secondary contaminant according to the EPA safe drinking water act I live in the state of New Jersey
Yes, every once in a while when we turn the faucet on it smells horrible. Others on “Nextdoor” have commented that they’ve experienced the same. We also have the black and pink slime. So frustrating.
Hi Michael, thanks for your article. Your intro threw me because I live and work in the Alpharetta area and moved here from Salzburg! I’m born in US, but my wife and kids are from Salzburg. Anyone else you know in the area from there?
Anyway, we have the black buildup as well. If I figure anything out I’ll be sure to post here.
Hi Chris,
thanks for stopping by – what a funny coincidence! Unfortunately, I don’t know anyone else from Austria who lives in the area. There are plenty of Germans but then again, they are everywhere ;)
We live in Hall County and have the same manganese and iron issues. The manganese-feeding bacteria seems to be the biggest issue. Not sure how it can be the pipes, since our home is fairly new and we noticed these issues within the first year. I also have the issue in my new low water level washing machine. I have to wipe the black gunk off of the gasket at the top to prevent it dropping in on clothes. We have lived in newer homes in NC and FL over the past 40 years and have never experienced this problem.
We live in a row of townhomes in Montana and are experiencing this black crud for the past year or so. None of my immediate neighbors on either side of me have this problem. Could it be our water heater? It is SO disgusting – I hate even brushing my teeth or rinsing my mouth out. I’ve cleaned big clumps of it off the faucets and in and around the toilet bowl as well as the bathtub. Ewww. Not sure which direction to take now. Thanks for this information. It has been very helpful reading others’ experiences with this problem.
I wouldn’t spend money to get work done on the water heater. Reason being is that the problem exists in the cold side as well. Money will be removed from your wallet but not the goo from the pipes. I put a half cup of bleach in the toilet tanks every other month (clean bowl, turn water supply off and drain 1/2 tank to clear bowl, second half gets bleach and flush. leave water off for a bit to allow bleach to kill anything in the toilet lines in the rim. It’s just an added step in cleaning. Other than that, I use an old toothbrush to scrub the faucet aerators then drop in the bleach cup (before doing the toilet)…
Your neighbors might be embarassed to say they have the problem, or haven’t seen it yet, (You can secretly pull off a sink aerator next time you’re visiting their bathroom to confirm)
Did you ever fix this? WE have been battling the problem for years. Cleaning up boiler and flushing the system helps for just a week or two. WE also live in a row of townhouses in NYC (nobody on the block has the issue)
Dorota
Any idea how I can tell the difference between maganese build up from black mold? I’ve lived in Michigan my whole life and we recently bought a house in a town called Clawson. I’ve lived in cities surrounding Clawson–Berkeley, Royal Oak, Troy–they all use the same water I would suspect but my house in Clawson, mainly in the bathroom, I have this black sludge building up on fixtures, toilets and inside the bath tub faucet. Something I’ve never seen before! The bathroom was “remodeled” by a previous homeowner with an acrylic shower liner over the tub. It also appears that they blocked up a former window (the house is brick). I’m just worried they cut corners, did the project incorrectly and we now have mold growing underneath this all.
Hi Ashley,
To be sure you would need to get a specialist in who deals with mold removal. That being said, mold often has a fuzzy appearance but can also look like a stain if it’s growing on a wall or furniture. Its most common colors are black green, brown, or white. Mold can feel like cotton, leather, velvet, or sand paper. It usually gives off a musty or earthy odor.
i live in Novi, and have the sludge in my kitchen faucet only. I just went through a remodel . I had the sludge before and after. We recently had a water main break, maybe now it will go away. The water now doesn’t have as much of a chlorine taste.
I live in Ypsilanti. We’ve been having the pink and black slime problem in our current house since we moved in 9 years ago, mainly in the bathrooms. The toilets are the worst, however. I have found the black slime in the tub faucet, the pink staining in the bathtubs and shower. When clean the toilet jets, I find small black chunks of what I assume is manganese. Also get what looks like mold and mildew buildup in the toilet tank (which is a year old). This house was 4 years old when we bought it. When we first started seeing these problems, we added a whole house media filter, a whole-house sediment filter, trying every type of cartridge, and we added a water softener as well. None of it made a difference with the slime or stains. This house has Pvc pipes coming in and going out with copper to faucets. Our old house built in 1988 is 3 miles away and we never had these problems. They both get city water from the same supply. I’m at my wit’s end with this.
I have the exact same problem in Fulton county GA as well. All of my plumbing is barely three years old. Thanks for posting this.
Yes, I have the same exact problems too, here in DFW area of Texas! We didn’t have this in our previous house (it was a new house too) that we lived in for 10 years though. It was only the next town over from where we live now. The house we live in now is only 7 years old and we live here for 3 years now. I’m going to ask my neighbors if they have the same thing going on with their water.
Thanks, your detailed explanation about that nasty black gook was very helpful. I live in north east Ohio and have the same iisues with my faucets.. I scrub the faucets about every 60 days with CLR, it dissolves the stuff. I am glad to hear that the ick isn’t going to slowly poison me.
I clean my toilet every day but once a week give the toilets a good scrub around the rim also my taps. I am amazed at all the black gunk that collects. We live in North Wales and this is a new problem, it also collects in the washing machine. I only drink bottled water.
I’m in north wales too, let me know if you find a solution!
Thanks for the great info. I live in Southport, NC, which is basically on the coast between Wilmington and Myrtle Beach. We have been experiencing this issue for years, and it seems to be getting worse. We have a well for our lawn sprinklers, and you can definitely tell we have iron and manganese in the water. Our cement driveway looks like Guinness and Killian’s got into a fight!
But the water supply to the house is county water, and judging from everyone else’s comments, we have manganese in it as well. The black slime is in all our faucets, shower heads, toilets, and yes, even the spout on fridge that provides filtered water. Curiously enough, it hasn’t affected the washing machine. Plumbing seems to be mainly PVC with a few pieces of metal here and there. I noticed no one has mentioned any odor associated with this issue, but our bathroom sinks, well, they stink! I’ve used Plink, Drano, Liquid Plumber, concentrated Mr.Clean (not a good idea, by the way!), and the smell goes away for a bit, but it always comes back. Haven’t used bleach as I’m not sure what the eco ramifications are. I will definitely contact our public utilities and have the water tested. But as for manganese not being harmful, I think it depends on if you suffer from migraines or not. Certain heavy metals and minerals (manganese is both, apparently) have been linked to migraines. I am NOT a doctor OR scientist, and I am not stating this as fact. However, I do suffer from chronic migraines, and thanks to your article, Michael, I may have stumbled onto a possible cause, or at least a contributing factor. Holy cow!
Thanks for a solution to something that we’ve been searching for —for years! We live in Alpharetta as well (brand new 4 year old house) and used to live in Cobb county. I don’t know what the difference is in the counties systems but we never had this issue in Cobb. We had our line flushed and it didn’t help and a plumber come out but he just suggested cleaning more often. We clean all of the faucets, etc. every two weeks and it always needs cleaning. My kids won’t drink tap water, even with the filter on our fridge. (and yes- we do seem to get black slime on the spigot of that too) I’m thinking of getting a water cooler. Any thoughts on that? Seems silly with a brand new house but…nice to drink water without slime worry.
We have been thinking about a water cooler but then decided to buy a Britt Pitcher instead – see http://amzn.to/2koXvHv – easier and covers our needs for our daily water consumption.
I bought a berkey water filter that sits on my kitchen counter. Water tastes great. I’m in Doylestown Pa and never saw this black slime before. Thanks for researching. I couldn’t figure it out
I live in the UK and have had this ongoing problem over 6 years or more. I firmly believe it’s something added to our water supply by the local Water Board. During the past 6 years I have lived previously in a bungalow and now a house but still have this black ‘gunk’, when I flush the toilets and it collects round the cold water tap and shower heads
Im in CT and my kids toys in the bath get blackened after a week or so – Ive never noticed any bad taste or discoloration in the water itself (we dont drink the tap water anyway though-Brita) but the toilet tank – the sink drain – and the bathtub drains are caked in the black slimy stuff – i figured it was because the house was really old and i worry about health issues – but from what I’m reading lots of people having same problems even with newer plumbing – i wonder if PEX piping makes a difference? or is that just for the heating cooling and faucets and not for the drains?
We have clear PEX tubing and black slime on the inside of the tubes.
The black slime is only on our cold water line, not the hot line.
I’m a licensed plumber and live in Charleston,Tn.. in a brand new house we just built.. It has pex piping.. It is driving me crazy.. I haven’t put a filtration system on yet but I plan on it.. I am on city water. I am also the only house on my dead end st.. It’s a new subdivision also.. Most of the whole home filters mainly filter sediment. Pay attn to the type of filter you buy.. if it isn’t made specifically for your problem it really won’t help anything.. I would also suggest flushing your water heater 2-3 times a year. Because it is basically a huge canister(like the housing your filter sits in) except it doesn’t have a filter in it. So it will catch and trap all the trash from your water. If you have a tankless water heater I would flush it every other month.. good luck. Also they are easy to flush. Standard and tankless. So don’t waste your money on a plumber unless it’s just once to learn how they do it..
Did you install a filtration system – if so what type and did it help?
We live in the northern U.P. and have a deep well at 72 feet that has never had this black stain and residue til a few years ago when we remodeled and built a new bathroom with PVC plumbing. Our toilet tank is completely black and the PVC piping in the basement has turned black. Very worrisome. Don’t know what to do? Our water tastes good and there is no staining in the sinks, shower, or washing machine. Just in the toilets and obviously in all our water lines.
Hi Edna,
thanks for your reply! We have PVC in the house as well and I wonder if they are the cause of the build up.
Cheers
Michael
Having the same problem in my Arkansas apartment.
The PVC could be the source since I do not ever remember having this issue growing up. It was my chore to clean the bathrooms so surely I would have noticed it. Of course this was before the era of PVC piping.
I don’t think so, I has this prob prior to replacing the kitchen pipes underneath with pvc and i continue to have the problem. None of the rest of the house has pvc and it is in all toilets showers and sinks
This issue also exists in Surf City, NC. The solution that we have come across is a whole house filtration system with an aerator. Most companies do not sell just the aerator when they prescribe a solution. This is an add on to the water softener and filter system and is installed before the filter.Just to note, if you are seeing pink stains, those are iron deposits. Black build up on the faucets is usually manganese. The aerator can assist with dealing with both of these issues, but do some savvy shopping and don’t get just one quote from a single vendor.
Much thanks for all this info! I just moved into old, not at all well maintained apt, City of Medicine, NC. Noticed there were black spots in water, though a coffee ground? now wearing glasses, realized more, then found no filter screens on 12+? year old faucet. bought a new screen, didn’t fit. Im broke from all the multiple self repairing projects, new supplies i’ve thriftily fixed correctly myself, but I can’t figure out this? so i’m soaking faucet & sprayer in vinegar water? anyone ever tried that? Just glad that I found this info at least! and it’s not poisonous, just terrifying finding ink dripping all over fingers inspecting the inside of my drinking faucet . Any suggestions on my vinegar water idea???,appreciated, even if ya laugh at me, totally OK! Thanks again
Thank you for your research – I live just north of you in North Forsyth, we have the same problem, pink in the showers and black gunk on the faucets. So glad to hear it is not health issue.
Hi Mary,
you are welcome! Even though it’s not a health issue, it’s certainly an aesthetic one and I wish I had a permanent solution for it.
Cheers
Michael
A plumber installed a whole house water filter system because we were getting the black slime residue on everything the water touched. He identified it as you did…magnesium bacteria. Now the new system leaves tanish dusty and slimy residue on everything…this filter back flushes often but we stl get the tan dusty film and it does grow slime as well.
hmm…so not even a house-wide filter helps. That would have been my next investment but I guess I’ll hold off on that.
it was fabulously expensive to boot. We do live in Northern WI and have very acid soil….our well is at 50ft and we live on a lake….it’s a seep well….not an aquifer. He’s replaced the sandy substance (not sure what it is) twice and still everything is dull and dusty and slimy in the sink. so…not sure where to go from here….but at least we are rid of that disgusting black slimy goo! Thanks for your blog…first time I’ve found anything related to this black gooey stuff.
We had our water tested and it came back clean, without any concentrations of such bacteria. So our working theory is, that the bacteria is in the old pipes. Not sure how we would clean those out…
Having the same problem in Rockingham North Carolina….black gunk under toilet rims and faucets and in my tiled shower…my house is only 4 years old….just last year I had my main water line replaced on my end…about 900 feet….county said the water tested fine on their end…and it did not help…..I am just clueless and they are too…I have had a rain soft system in my other house….before we built this one…very costly and a lot of wasted water…and lite green stains on my shower and in my bathtub….so it didn’t really help that “greenish” color/tint….clueless as to what can I do to prevent this blackish gunk….?????
All of Durham has the same problem. It’s our dirty little secret. Brand new house built in 2016. Problems started immediately. Never once had the problem in Raleigh. ?
What type of whole house filter did you have installed?
I live in Alvin Tx and also have a home water filtration system. I can’t say for certain but I did not notice the hunk until after I had it installed. It is somehow only on our rr faucets and one of the toilets. Very odd. Still trying m got get to the bottom of it. Thanks for posting it might not be harmful atleast I have that peace of mind.
I have the same problem with the black slime, it started after I installed a whole home water filter because the scaling was so bad it was ruining our faucets and dishes. Solved he scaling problem but gave us a new issue. Glad it’s harmless thanks for posting
LynnAnn, we have this slime problem in north GA as well and when we lived in Iowa we had a whole-house filter that ruined ALL of our dishes with that blasted powdery residue. It was awful. We tried everything to save our dishes but had to dispose of it all after we moved :( not worth it.
What type of filter did you have installed?
I’m in Signal Mountain Tennessee and we have the goop too. I didn’t get the whole house filter but for the drinking water and fridge (two spigots and the fridge). The company was AQUA-CLEAR or some such. We love the drinking water and the system cost about 2000 dollars. But the spigots still have the goop and the other comments seem to find downsides to the whole house system. I wonder if those have the reverse osmosis feature. Not that I know what that is but I paid extra for it and there is no powdery residue on the drinking water apparatus.
I bought a Brita water pitcher and a Pur filter for my faucet, same problem here in Ohio!
Would you believe the “black gunk” forms on the spout of my filter too?
Constantly cleaning toilets and showers too. I feel better about it after reading your article though, thank you for the info.
Interesting thread – I live in Sandy Springs, GA, also Fulton county in a new (2013) town home. I’ve been wondering about the black slime build-up as described above since we have the same issues. Oddly, our toilet cisterns are clear of the crud – I’d really have expected to see it there too. Black streaks in the toilet and faucet crud are vanquished by bleach, only to return. Looks like a whole house water filter may be the only solution.
Oddly enough I’m living in Alpharetta too, but in a brand new townhouse.
I too have the manganese bacteria buildup. This must be a function of the water system itself. I also get the pink bacteria around the water line of my infrequently used toilets.
Thanks for the local info!
Came across this a short while after leaving my last comment and thought I’d try and post it as an alternate option.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLK7tymQhSc&ab_channel=HowToLou
It’s manganese. I called our city water. They admitted they don’t filter for iron or manganese (we have pink from the iron in our toilets too). Nearby cities have spent the money to filter for iron and manganese, but mine claims the water bill would need to go up significantly. Since the issue is “aesthetic” and not health negative, they said they haven’t felt the need to install a filter yet.
We’ve been experiencing what resembles black mold the past couple of years in Michigan. It gets pretty ugly around the under rim of our toilets and where the water line is in the bowls and are constantly addressing the problem. Sometimes, I’ll soak some toilet paper with some ZEP from Home Depot and slap it on the affected areas like plaster of paris so there’s more of an opportunity for the chemical to do its thing instead of squirting it in the toilet and watching the majority of it drop down into the water inside the bowl where its least needed.
It also accumulates at the faucet heads although I don’t recall seeing anything worrisome associated with the washing machine.
We thought maybe it might somehow be related to our spending the winter months in Florida due to our turning the water off for long periods of time possibly allowing for growth of bacteria in the lines that never seems to go away upon our return and reuse. I’ve tried flushing the toilets with tanks full of bleach and while the problem disappears for a little while, it comes back. I’m planning on using some of the suggestions above and see if I can get to the truth of the matter and take a longer lasting and/or more permanent corrective course of action. I hope to be able to come back here and report the results.
Hey! Thank you so much. I’ve been having this problem for quite a while and had no idea where to find the answers. I hit the jack pot! Yours was the FIRST link a choose upon my google search. I need not look further .
Did flushing the main line help? I have the same problem in central Wisconsin. Yours was the only informative response of any search results on the web!
Hi Patrick! Unfortunately flushing the main line didn’t help. That means we have either too much manganese in the county water supply or it’s in the lines in our house. Now that I know it’s not a health but only a cosmetic issue I’m less worried about it though.
I’m about two hours drive to your west and we have similar issues with blackened fixtures, probably for the same reason. Thanks for mentioning that the plumbing may need occasional clearing.
For your drinking water, almost any of the standard water filters should get rid of that bad taste. Google “water filter testing” for options. Just doing your drinking water is the cheapest method. I use a Brita filter in a water pitcher. The resulting water tastes fine, although apparent Brita isn’t that great for many other contaminates. The activated charcoal only improves the flavor. It is cheap though.
Here is one source of research:
http://www.waterfilterlabs.com
Although they did not test for magnesium.
We usually only drink water from the dispenser built into our fridge. That’s filtered as well and tastes decent. We may consider installing a whole-house filter if the problem wasn’t solved by flushing the main line.