A friend of mine whose grandparents lived in Shiregreen says that whenever he visited them in the 1970s and early 80s he noticed that the tapwater came out brown (like black tea). His g'parents told him that it was like that "all the time".

He now believes that this was the case across all of Sheffield and that it is still like that today!

I've NEVER seen this happen.

Anyone know what he's talking about???

I'm fairly certain this was the case in Totley Highfield halls in '89. It used to gunge up the kettle too. Not like chalk, but gunge :gag:

Yes thats true , i remember having brown tinted water most of the time when i was living there.
cant win though because now its full of lime where i live now.

It was the peat in the water.

Cured (in the north of the city at least) since the new treatment plant was built at Langsett a few years ago - mid 80's probably.