If you have cloudy tap water, it’s understandable that you’d be concerned about what’s causing it and whether it poses a health hazard. Cloudy-looking water can have a couple of potential causes, but it’s usually safe to use and drink.
A milky-white or cloudy appearance in tap water is most often caused by air dissolved in the pressurized water exiting the faucet. If it’s coming from the municipal supply, you’ll see it at all of your cold water faucets. If it’s just at one fixture, it may be caused by the faucet’s aerator. However, cloudy hot water can point to an issue with your water heater. Here are some tips on how to find the source of the cloudiness to get it resolved.
Cloudy Cold Water
You can determine where the cloudiness in your cold water originates by running all the taps in the house for several seconds, then filling a clean glass at each one.
- If the water from all of the faucets looks cloudy, it’s likely coming from the municipal supply. As air escapes, the water should become clear from the bottom upwards. If the flow stays cloudy for more than 24 hours, you can contact Citizens Energy to see if there’s a system leak or maintenance is being done.
- If only one faucet is involved, you can remove the aerator and clean it thoroughly to see if it helps, or simply replace it.
Cloudy Hot Water
You can use the same full-glass test to investigate what’s causing hot water cloudiness. If the milky white appearance clears from the bottom up, you’ll know it’s caused by the release of pressurized air and nothing to worry about. But, if it clears from the top down and sediment particles collect on the glass bottom, it’s wise to have a professional plumber check your water heater. You may need to have it flushed to clear out sediment, or have a disintegrated dip tube replaced.
For expert help resolving a cloudy tap water issue in your Indianapolis home, contact us today at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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