If you’ve experienced cloudy water from your tap, it’s normal to be worried. It’s not what you want to see when you turn on your tap. After the initial concern of knowing it doesn’t quite look right, the second question that comes to mind might be – “Is it safe to drink?”

Here are some tips to take to ensure the water you drink is safe to drink.

WHAT CAUSES CLOUDY, WATER FROM A TAP?

In most cases, cloudy water is nothing to be overly concerned about. When the air bubbles try and escape, it causes a whitish colour. Cold water has a greater capacity to hold dissolved gases. When the cold water is sealed in pipes and under pressure and unable to escape, it can turn cloudy when the air escapes.

Turning the water tap on suddenly releases this high-water pressure, and the air is released as tiny bubbles in your water. As air is lighter than water, these bubbles float up and out of your water, leaving you with perfectly normal, clear and clean water. This is what gives your water a cloudy or milky appearance.

Your water should clear from the bottom to the top as the bubbles rise and escape.

IS CLOUDY WATER SAFE TO DRINK?

The good news is that if your water’s cloudiness is simply due to air bubbles, then your cloudy, white water is safe to drink. However, if your water looks cloudy or milky and it’s not clearing up after a while, then you might have a more severe problem that may need urgent attention.

THREE WAYS TO FIX CLOUDY TAP WATER

Clean a blocked aerator

The problem could be as simple as a blocked aerator which is what is screwed on to the end of the tap, creating a non-splashing stream and often delivering a mixture of water and air. This is a simple fix by giving it a clean and good scrub. Cleaning this could solve the problem temporarily, but it could become blocked again.

Replace the aerator

Replacing it with a new aerator is another option but if the aerator blocks again quickly, it may be time to call your local plumber to check for the cause.

Check your water supply

The final problem that might be causing your cloudy water is your water supplier. If work is being done in your area, they might turn off your water mains, so no new water enters the system. Air can get into the water mains during this time and dissolve in the water, causing the bubbles responsible for your cloudy water.

Unfortunately, when it comes to waiting for local councils, time frames can vary, and you may have to be patient. That air could stay in your water system anywhere from just a few hours to a few weeks!

If you’re ever concerned about your water source looking a different colour or not tasting quite right, the best action to take is to call a plumber to take a look.

Whether it’s a fix or a complete replacement of your water system or aerator, contact DCM Plumbing Gold Coast for the best service on the Gold Coast and get your water back to normal again!