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.

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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.