When pouring a glass of water, you may notice it looks foggy or bubbly. After 30 seconds it clears up and looks clean, but what if the water doesn’t clear up and you are left with a milky-looking drink? What is causing this weird reaction and is it safe?
Why am I Seeing Bubbles?
There may be several reasons as to why your water is not clear. The best result would be that it is just air bubbles. However, some of the other reasons could be methane gas, hard water, or total suspended solids.
Air Bubbles
Do not fret if it is air bubbles. The tell is when you first pour a glass it looks foggy, but after a little while it clears right up. Reasons why you are seeing small air bubbles can be due to trapped air in your plumbing, increased water pressure, and recent plumbing repairs or work. There is no harm with just air bubbles, but if the appearance is bothersome and you are tired of being questioned about your water you can contact your local plumbing company for a solution.
Methane Gas
Methane gas is a natural gas that is colorless, tasteless and odorless. Low levels of methane gas are safe to drink but anything higher than 10mg/L should be monitored and or solved by a plumbing service. Signs of methane gas in your water are if you use well water, see white air bubbles or your faucet is sputtering. Methane naturally contaminates groundwater, but it is always better to be safe and get an expert opinion.
Hard Water
If you are noticing the water does not become clear after a while and white spots are present on your glassware. There is a chance you could have hard water. Hard water means that it has a high concentration of dissolved calcium and magnesium in your water. Another telling sign of hard water is if there is a mineral build-up on your faucet or other fixtures. Generally, it is safe to consume. To avoid mineral build-up and maintain the quality of your water appliances then a quick call to a plumber is always going to be the right call. They will know how to “soften” your water so that future buildup does not occur.
Concentration of Total Suspended Solids (TSS)
After using your water filter there seems to be no issue. You also notice that there has been some construction by your local city water supply. If there is a lack of clarity in your water, it may be due to total suspended solids. Examples of TSS are iron, clay, algae, silt, and sediment. These solids do not settle to the bottom of your container which is why your water may look milky. Luckily resolving this issue is by using a water filter. If you find that your filter is not providing enough filtration, there will have to be additional steps taken by a plumber to give you the desired result.
