Causes of Milky Water….

It seems anyone who has been in the plumbing and heating business for some time has heard a customer question about “milky” water coming from the hot water tap. Weil McLain has printed a Service Technician’s Troubleshooting Guide that addresses this complaint. When water is drawn from a tap and initially appears milky but clears after standing for several minutes, it is usually an indication that high levels of soluble gases such as oxygen, chlorine, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide or others are present. As the water system pressure increases, air and gases are forced out of solution. These small bubbles of released gases give the water a milky appearance. There is no remedy, although a faucet aerator may help. The condition often disappears with time. The Guide points out that these gases are not harmful to the end user.