Cloudy Tap Water After Left Standing For A Day...

[dunnitall]

Hi, has anyone experienced this and if so, what was the cause? The cold water only, run it into a glass and it's as clear as anything. Left it standing till next day and water is cloudy...each days gets cloudier and in the bottom there are deposits of what looks like salt.

I know it's not the air bubbles people sometimes get as they appear first then disappear. So why is my cold water from near the mains turning cloudy and not looking good to drink? Any answers and comments appreciated. Many thanks. Please remember only turns cloudy after a day and gets worse.....x

[bookbinder]

Best thing to do would be to get on to your water supplier.

[Tilly2]

...or drink it before it goes cloudy?

[gingejbee]

First thing to do....ask neighbours if the same thing happens in their houses. If it does, contact your water company and ask for an inspector to visit (F.O.C.) and investigate. If they don't have the same problem, then something strange is happening in your house.

[gingejbee]

Do you know the source of your supply? If it's hard water from boreholes, it's usual for originally clear water to become "chalky looking" after standing in a warm place, but after SEVERAL days....not just overnight.

[Buenchico]

It's simply dissolved calcium bicarbonate (and/or magnesium bicarbonate) in the water settling out. It's perfectly normal with hard water supplies.

[dunnitall]

I contacted the water supplier and they are coming out to test later this week as they are puzzled. This problem only started after we had new boiler installed and they removed the header tank and the cold water came out with black gunge in it. They got it tested by a firm and said all ok. The black gunge they 'think' was a broken down old washer which had gone into the mains pipe.

Since then I've tested by running and leaving a glass to see if anything appeared again, that's when I discovered as my question...clear then turned cloudy. Thanks for your answers...I just wondered if anyone else had encountered this problem

[gingejbee]

Dare I say that Chris isn't quite right? The deposits are calcium (or magnesium) carbonate, caused by the bicarbonate ions decomposing over time. And I repeat...this normally happens over a longer period of time, not usually overnight (unless it's become VERY warm).