Narrative:

Upon filling up the water pitchers on the ground; I noticed that the water from the taps had a brownish color to it. I showed this to the purser who did take one of the pitchers to show the pilots. By the time the mechanics came on board; I realized that the same occurrence took place with the hot water which I brewed. After letting the water flow out of the tap for a lengthy period of time and rebrewing the hot water a couple of times the mechanics were content with the resulting visible clearing up of the water. However; my concern was the invisible impurities still probably present. The people in charge of the flight obviously did not want to take a delay; but assured(?) me that they would do a quick(?) cleaning of the tanks. With about 10 mins to go before departure; that was very hard for me to believe. For a while on the ground the water flow from the tap did stop. But I would not like to jump to any conclusions about what was done because after takeoff; the water from the taps and the brewers was browner than before; which I brought to the attention of the purser. Shockingly; an on-time departure was preferred over cleaning of the tanks/pipes or providing the entire economy cabin of 163 passenger with bottled or alternate drinking water. I did voice my concern about this repeatedly on the ground; but an on-time departure was considered more important than the health and safety of our passenger.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747-400 WHILE PARKED AT GATE CABIN ATTENDANT NOTES WATER FLOWING FROM FAUCETS BROWN IN COLOR. RPTED TO CAPT AND MAINT. TECHNICIANS PROMISED A 'QUICK' TANK CLEANING. FLT DEPARTED WITH BROWN WATER ON TIME.

Narrative: UPON FILLING UP THE WATER PITCHERS ON THE GND; I NOTICED THAT THE WATER FROM THE TAPS HAD A BROWNISH COLOR TO IT. I SHOWED THIS TO THE PURSER WHO DID TAKE ONE OF THE PITCHERS TO SHOW THE PLTS. BY THE TIME THE MECHS CAME ON BOARD; I REALIZED THAT THE SAME OCCURRENCE TOOK PLACE WITH THE HOT WATER WHICH I BREWED. AFTER LETTING THE WATER FLOW OUT OF THE TAP FOR A LENGTHY PERIOD OF TIME AND REBREWING THE HOT WATER A COUPLE OF TIMES THE MECHS WERE CONTENT WITH THE RESULTING VISIBLE CLRING UP OF THE WATER. HOWEVER; MY CONCERN WAS THE INVISIBLE IMPURITIES STILL PROBABLY PRESENT. THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF THE FLT OBVIOUSLY DID NOT WANT TO TAKE A DELAY; BUT ASSURED(?) ME THAT THEY WOULD DO A QUICK(?) CLEANING OF THE TANKS. WITH ABOUT 10 MINS TO GO BEFORE DEP; THAT WAS VERY HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE. FOR A WHILE ON THE GND THE WATER FLOW FROM THE TAP DID STOP. BUT I WOULD NOT LIKE TO JUMP TO ANY CONCLUSIONS ABOUT WHAT WAS DONE BECAUSE AFTER TKOF; THE WATER FROM THE TAPS AND THE BREWERS WAS BROWNER THAN BEFORE; WHICH I BROUGHT TO THE ATTN OF THE PURSER. SHOCKINGLY; AN ON-TIME DEP WAS PREFERRED OVER CLEANING OF THE TANKS/PIPES OR PROVIDING THE ENTIRE ECONOMY CABIN OF 163 PAX WITH BOTTLED OR ALTERNATE DRINKING WATER. I DID VOICE MY CONCERN ABOUT THIS REPEATEDLY ON THE GND; BUT AN ON-TIME DEP WAS CONSIDERED MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR PAX.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.