In the remote community of Nauiyu, about 225 kilometres south of Darwin, the water comes out brown.
That is mainly because there is a high level of iron in the ground.
There are no proven health risks of drinking the water, but residents in the area say there is only one way they can make it work.
Cathy Laudenbach from Merepeen Arts Centre said that was extremely wasteful and very costly.
"What we do is leave the water running until it goes clean and then we start cleaning up," she said.
"The immediate impact is cost because we are accountable for the water we use."
The Arts Centre uses a lot of water for their work and to clean up.
Dr Laudenbach also buys water for her staff to drink, but she said that for many, that is not an option.
"A lot of people here are living on benefits and cannot afford it," she said.
Taking matters into their own hands
Long-term residents have reported that the water has been this way for most of their lives.
With no improvement on the horizon, Nauiyu's private school installed tanks and filters on school grounds and at school housing.
The town water gets diverted into the installed tanks which aerates the water and drops out a lot of the iron.
It then gets pumped through the pre-filter, which cleanses water before pumping it through the taps.
Cynthia Page, a teacher at the school, said it means children can at least have clean water during the day.
"It has made a big difference in the water quality," she said.
"You can actually have a cup of water in a glass, and it be clear."
Ms Page said it has made a massive difference to the school, however it comes at a cost.
"Because the water is still coming from the tanks you have to replace the filters every couple of months," she said.
It is a cost the school can afford, but most residents cannot.
Dr Laudenbach supports the idea, but said it would need to be properly funded.
"Not everyone can afford it," she said.
"I think it would be one step towards fixing the problem."
Ms Page said the filters worked at the school and would work around the community as well.
"From what I understand water is a basic human need," she said.
