Cloudy Well Water: Causes and Solutions

If your home relies on a well for its water supply, you may have encountered cloudy water. This can concern homeowners and often raises questions about the water quality you and your family use daily. Let's uncover some potential causes of cloudy water and ways to prevent it, ensuring your water supply is safe and healthy.

What Causes Cloudy Well Water?

1. Particles or Sediment: High sediment levels (sand, silt, or clay) can cause cloudy water. If you fill a glass of water from your well and let it sit, only to find debris at the bottom of the glass, your issue is likely due to excess water sediment. These particles can enter your well from many areas, including if the well isn’t sealed correctly or after heavy rainfall.
2. Air Bubbles: Dissolved gas or air bubbles in your water can give it a cloudy or milky appearance. Air entering the well system is often caused by a change in water pressure throughout the home. In municipal (city) water systems, a burst pipe in a surrounding area could be to blame. In well water systems, you must inspect your system to identify the cause of this air bubble problem. Contact your local well water service or plumber to ensure your well equipment works properly.
3. Hard Water: If the cloudiness is due to air bubbles, it will typically clear up after a minute or two. However, if the cloudy appearance remains over an extended period, you could have another issue known as hard water. Hardness in water is very common in well-water systems and is caused by dissolved minerals. These minerals, like calcium, magnesium, iron, or manganese, get into the water from the surrounding bedrock near your groundwater supply. These excess minerals can lead to significant issues beyond just cloudy water:
   • Metallic taste and unpleasant odors
   • Stains on fixtures and laundry
   • Soap scum buildup
   • Dry hair and skin
   • Spotting on drinkware and dishes
   • Mineral buildup in plumbing

Testing Your Water

To accurately assess the quality of your well water, you should contact an expert. Homes on a city water supply often have their water tested to ensure it is bacteria-free before it reaches your home. While city water is still subject to hard water problems, well water testing is crucial. Well water isn’t managed by a central authority, and its quality is often unknown as it is specific to each home. That means it’s up to you to take the necessary action and test frequently to determine what treatments are needed to provide you and your family with safe and healthy water.

Find and contact an Evolve dealer near you to get your water tested today. Your local dealer will provide a detailed analysis, which is the first step to better water. Without knowing what is in your water, you won’t be able to treat any existing problems properly. Your local Evolve Water Treatment Dealer can offer a customized solution for your unique well water based on your results.