Why does my drinking water look cloudy sometimes?
Once in a while you get a glass of water that looks cloudy; maybe milky is a better term. After a few seconds, it miraculously clears up! The cloudiness is due to tiny air bubbles in the water. Like any bubbles, the air rises to the top of the water and goes into the air, clearing up the water. The water in the pipes coming into your house might be under a bit of pressure. This causes gases (air) that are dissolved in the pressurized water to come out as the water flows into your glass, which is under normal atmospheric pressure.
Learn more: USGS Drinking Water and Source Water Research
Related Content
Why is our porcelain sink stained brown?
Why does it take so long to rinse the soap off my hands? What are hard water and soft water?
Where can I find information about my local drinking water supply?
What can cause our water to have an earthy odor or to smell like rotten eggs?
Where can I find information about bottled water?
What can be causing our drinking water to have a reddish color?
Does the use of pesticides affect our Nation's water quality?
An overview comparing results from two decades of monitoring for pesticides in the Nation’s streams and rivers, 1992-2001 and 2002-2011
This report provides an overview of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment program and National Stream Quality Accounting Network findings for pesticide occurrence in U.S. streams and rivers during 2002–11 and compares them to findings for the previous decade (1992–2001). In addition, pesticide stream concentrations were...
Stone, Wesley W.; Gilliom, Robert J.; Martin, Jeffrey D.
The quality of our Nation's waters-Nutrients in the Nation's streams and groundwater, 1992-2004
National Findings and Their ImplicationsAlthough the use of artificial fertilizer has supported increasing food production to meet the needs of a growing population, increases in nutrient loadings from agricultural and, to a lesser extent, urban sources have resulted in nutrient concentrations in many streams and parts of aquifers that exceed...
Dubrovsky, Neil M.; Burow, Karen R.; Clark, Gregory M.; Gronberg, JoAnn M.; Hamilton, Pixie A.; Hitt, Kerie J.; Mueller, David K.; Munn, Mark D.; Nolan, Bernard T.; Puckett, Larry J.; Rupert, Michael G.; Short, Terry M.; Spahr, Norman E.; Sprague, Lori A.; Wilber, William G.
Ground water and the rural homeowner
As the salesmen sang in the musical The Music Man, "You gotta know the territory." This saying is also true when planning to buy or build a house. Learn as much as possible about the land, the water supply, and the septic system of the house before buying or building. Do not just look at the construction aspects or the beauty of the home and...
Waller, Roger M.
The Quality of the Nation’s Groundwater: Progress on a National Survey
The U.S. Geological Survey is near the midpoint of a complex undertaking to survey the quality of the nation’s largest drinking-water resource.
Current website: https://www.usgs.gov/news/quality-nation-s-groundwater-progress-a-nation...
First-of-its-kind Interactive Map Brings Together 40 Years of Water-Quality Data
USGS provides a long-term look at changes in the quality of our nation’s rivers and streams
Land-Use, Human Activity Impact Aquifers and Drinking Water Supplies
As populations increase around areas with public water-supply wells in the northern Tampa Bay region there are corresponding increases in contamination. According to a study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), human activities are impacting ground-water resources.
Glass of drinking water - municipal water use
Stock photo
A young girl drinks water, which likely originated from groundwater
A young girl drinks water, which likely originated from groundwater sources.
The USGS is near the midpoint of a complex undertaking to survey the quality of the nation’s largest drinking-water resource. From 2012 – 2023, the USGS is assessing groundwater throughout the country through extensive sampling. The latest results from five regional aquifers are now
...
Drinking water from tap
The quality of the water we drink can potentially impact our health. The USGS has several programs and cooperative projects that characterize the quality of selected rivers and aquifers used as sources of drinking water to community water systems in the United States.
Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments
This short video is one of a series of four total shorts highlighting USGS water science in California's Delta region. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is the hub of the state's water system. Water quality touches on all aspects of life. Teams of U.S. Geological Survey scientists along with their partners monitor water quality and identify sources of pollution and
Why does my drinking water look milky or cloudy sometimes?
Listen to hear the answer.
Air bubbleswater can make clear water appear cloudy..for a few seconds
Air bubbles and pressure in water lines can make your drinking water look cloudy....for a few seconds
Once in a while, you get a glass of water and it looks cloudy; maybe milky is a better term. After a few seconds it miraculously clears up! The cloudiness might be caused by the water in the pipes being under a bit more pressure than the water in
...