Redland council addresses brown, murky Mount Cotton water concerns

Photos have surfaced of Mount Cotton’s “whiskey looking” and “smelly” tap water.

Photos have surfaced of Mount Cotton’s “whiskey looking” and “smelly” tap water as the council confirms they have received no complaints from residents.

A photo showing a glass filled with brown and murky tap water has sparked Mount Cotton residents into sharing their experiences of “smelly” water coming from the taps in their homes.

Spotted Gum Crescent resident Jake Hidalgo shared a photo to social media of a glass filled with brown tap water.

Mount Cotton resident Ariana Archer said she noticed on Thursday her washing machine was smelling.

“I’ve done a washing machine clean … the water was black,” Ms Archer said.

Another resident posted, “ It’s an ongoing and regular occurrence in Mt Cotton it’s been happening for years' the council always say water is fine to drink … it looks like whiskey, we thought it was a pipe we had fitted,”

Meanwhile, Redland City Council said they have received no complaints from residents for this most recent incident.

Mt Cotton resident Zac Mogg said he has experienced discoloured water many times over the six years he has lived there.

“Feels very 1800s to have to ask council for clean water,” Mr Mogg said.

A spokesman from Redland City Council said discoloured water could be caused by a number of factors, including a burst pipe, maintenance work being carried out on the water mains, or corrosion of internal pipes in the home.

“Council performs regular maintenance activities and proactive ‘flushing’ of the water mains,” a spokesman said.

Redland City Council’s water is supplied by Seqwater, with the nearest treatment plants on North Stradbroke Island/Minjerribah and Capalaba.

“Council has received 44 complaints of discoloured water across the entire city network of 64,798 connected properties since 1 January 2023 … the last complaint of discoloured water in the Mount Cotton area was received on 16 October 2023,” he said.

Council encourages residents experiencing discoloured water to visit the Redland City Council’s website or phone Council on 3829 8999 to report any problems.