Des Plaines Water Treatment Plant Upgrades Are Causing Unexpected Corrosion Problems in Home Plumbing Systems

Homeowners in Des Plaines, Illinois, are discovering an alarming trend in 2025: increased plumbing corrosion and pipe damage following recent water treatment plant upgrades. The Des Plaines River Water Reclamation Facility has undergone significant modifications, including the installation of alum dosing piping and polymer system improvements, with Phase I construction completed and Phase II engineering starting in January 2025. While these upgrades were designed to improve water quality and environmental compliance, they’re inadvertently creating new challenges for residential plumbing systems.

Understanding the Chemical Changes Behind the Problem

The chemical quality of finished water at treatment plants can significantly affect corrosion rates, which can be mitigated by chemical additions, including corrosion inhibitors. However, when treatment facilities modify their chemical processes, it can disrupt the delicate balance that prevents pipe corrosion. One way to reduce water corrosivity is to increase the pH, which can be easily achieved at treatment plants where chemicals and feed systems are already available for pH adjustment.

The Des Plaines facility’s recent upgrades have altered the water’s chemical composition in ways that many homeowners weren’t prepared for. Elevated phosphorus levels in utility water samples most likely arise from the application of phosphate for corrosion control. While phosphates are intended to protect distribution pipes, changes in their concentration can affect how water interacts with home plumbing materials.

How Water Chemistry Changes Impact Your Home

Corrosive water can dissolve metal plumbing components causing unsafe levels of copper and lead and pinhole leaks, and can sometimes dissolve enough of these metals to create both aesthetic and health-related problems in drinking water. Des Plaines residents have reported several concerning symptoms:

• Bluish-green stains in sinks and a metallic taste to water, especially when water is in contact with pipes for several hours overnight
• Small leaks in metal plumbing components
• Off-taste, odor, or appearance that adversely affects water quality as it flows through the piping system
• Increased frequency of pipe failures and joint problems

Many characteristics of water determine its corrosivity, including pH, calcium concentration, hardness, dissolved solids content, and temperature. Water that is soft and acidic (pH < 7.0) tends to be more corrosive. The recent treatment plant modifications have shifted these parameters in ways that make the water more aggressive toward certain plumbing materials.

The Science Behind Accelerated Corrosion

Common chemicals such as chlorine, various acids and alkalis and ferric chloride are corrosive. The Des Plaines facility’s switch to different treatment chemicals has created an environment where the chemical qualities of the water running through pipes, such as alkalinity, hardness, and pH, influence the corrosive reaction, and other chemicals and molecules found in water, such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, and dissolved solids also affect the corrosion process.

Metallic corrosion products in tap water can originate from water mains, service lines, and interior plumbing, and the quality of the water clearly affects the corrosion process. Thus, the choice of system materials and the treatment regime undertaken at the treatment plant are both possible points of attack in mitigation of corrosion.

Protecting Your Home’s Plumbing System

Homeowners don’t have to accept accelerated pipe deterioration as inevitable. Treatment units such as neutralizing filters or chemical feed systems can be installed to reduce water corrosivity by adding alkaline chemicals to the water. Since corrosion affects the entire plumbing system, these treatment devices are installed where water enters the home to treat all household water.

Professional plumbing services have become essential for Des Plaines residents dealing with these new challenges. When you need expert help addressing corrosion-related plumbing issues, a qualified plumber des plaines can assess your system and recommend appropriate solutions.

When to Call Professional Help

Go-Rooter is the trusted and reliable emergency plumber serving Chicago, Cook County, IL, taking great pride in offering the community cost-effective, speedy, and trustworthy plumbing service. As a licensed, bonded and insured family-owned plumbing and sewer company specializing in residential and commercial services, they understand the unique challenges facing Des Plaines homeowners.

Signs that you need immediate professional attention include:

• Sudden changes in water taste or appearance
• Unexpected leaks or pipe failures
• Discolored water or metallic tastes
• Reduced water pressure throughout your home
• Recurring plumbing problems that weren’t issues before

Long-term Solutions and Prevention

Since corrosive water attacks plumbing system components, one way to correct the problem is to install plumbing components that are resistant to corrosion. Most often, this involves replacement of copper pipe or substandard plastic pipe with approved plastic PVC pipe.

For existing systems, corrosion inhibitors act as protective agents to prevent leaching of metals from lead and copper pipework. When inorganic phosphates are added to the water supply, they form an insoluble protective mineral scale layer on the inside of service pipes and household water lines, helping maintain the pipelines from water corrosion.

Go-Rooter is more than a plumbing company; they are part of the Cook community in Cook County, IL, ready to tackle any plumbing issue homeowners might face, having encountered and resolved everything from gurgling drains to overflowing toilets.

Taking Action Now

The Des Plaines water treatment plant upgrades represent a necessary step toward environmental compliance and improved water quality. However, the unintended consequences for home plumbing systems require proactive management. Professional plumbers understand that plumbing issues can disrupt daily routines, so they strive to resolve problems quickly and efficiently. With Go-Rooter, you get more than just a plumber – you get a partner.

Don’t wait for small corrosion problems to become major pipe failures. Early intervention with proper water treatment, pipe protection, and professional maintenance can save thousands of dollars in emergency repairs while ensuring your family’s continued access to safe, clean water.

If you’re experiencing any signs of increased corrosion or plumbing problems since the treatment plant upgrades, contact a qualified plumbing professional immediately. The sooner you address these issues, the better you can protect your home’s plumbing infrastructure from long-term damage.