Water Appears - Cloudy

Water appears cloudy in a glass, then it clears up

Cloudiness in water that disappears in a few minutes is dissolved air in the water. When cold water from the water main enters a warm building, the air escaping from the water makes the water look cloudy or milky. The cloudiness usually occurs more often in winter than in summer because cold water can hold more dissolved air than warm water.

Cloudy water is frequently seen in Milwaukee because of the use of ozone as a disinfectant. Ozone is a form of oxygen, so the water is becoming saturated with oxygen.

If the water appears cloudy at only one faucet, it has to do with the building plumbing, not the city water supply. If the faucet you are using has an aerator, the aerator is adding a lot of air to the water, causing it to appear cloudy.

If you have a mixing faucet - one that supplies both hot and cold water - the aerator in the tap adds additional air to the water to cause the cloudy effect. Replacing the cartridge in the mixing faucet may clear the cloudiness.

Water may appear cloudy after you have not used the tap for a few hours. Because the water has been motionless in the plumbing for more than a few hours, it has warmed up a few degrees. Even a few degrees will warm the water enough so air escapes quickly from the water. Run the tap water three to five minutes so fresh water from the water main is coming into the house. To conserve water, collect the running water and use it to water plants.