# What the hell? The water coming out of my bathroom faucet is white. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 16, 2010, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634 "2010-03-16T07:13:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/1 "2010-03-16T07:13:26Z")
So uh, I plan on notifying the landlord first thing in the morning but I noticed something peculiar when I went to brush my teeth tonight… the water coming out of the bathroom faucet is really murky, as if it were soapy. I put it in a glass and it’s completely opaque. I can’t detect any odor (albeit I have a terrible sense of smell), but that can’t be a good sign. Same thing from the bath faucet, but the water coming out of the kitchen faucet seems to be normal. Until he can get a proper plumber out here (I doubt the regular maintenance guys would know what’s going on), any speculation on what could cause something like this? It’s pretty disgusting when your water is white. I guess it could be worse - it could be brown or black. ---
**Author:** ![Caught\_Work](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Caught\_Work](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caught_Work)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/2 "2010-03-16T07:15:05Z")
Does it go clear if you let it settle? Aerated water? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/3 "2010-03-16T07:19:19Z")
> [@Caught\_Work](#): > > Does it go clear if you let it settle? > Aerated water? Oh man, now I feel dumb. Hey, it’s late and I’m tired. Yeah it does fizz up and get clear if I let it settle (but it takes a while, like ~45 seconds to get completely clear). Why have I not noticed that before? So it’s (probably) safe right? ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/4 "2010-03-16T07:34:07Z")
If the issue is indeed aerated water, it is safe to drink or bathe with. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/5 "2010-03-16T08:19:11Z")
If it’s just on the warm water side then I’m thinking it could be lime that has scaled off the inside of the hot water tank. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/6 "2010-03-16T11:00:12Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > If the issue is indeed aerated water, it is safe to drink or bathe with. But don’t try breathing with it. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/7 "2010-03-16T11:16:41Z")
Lots of people incorrectly identify this as ‘chalk’, but usually it’s tiny air bubbles and often happens when the washer or seating is damaged and the water comes through with a loud hissing or squealing sound. You can tell it’s air, as it settles _upwards_ in the glass, then disappears. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/8 "2010-03-16T12:13:53Z")
When I lived in California, our water came from a mix of reservoirs and wells, with the wells used more in Winter. The well water looked like what you describe. I suspect your local water district did something similar, recently changing its source. Where do you live, and how long have you lived there? ETA: the reservoir water was better from a quality point of view, but it was all safe. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/9 "2010-03-16T15:17:56Z")
Just let the cold water run a couple minutes, cold water won’t be cloudy with those teeny bubbles like warmish water is. This happens everywhere there is running water. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/10 "2010-03-16T15:46:51Z")
Our township switched from one water supplier to another (basically because the idiots in charge of our township allowed too much new construction and overloaded our first supplier). When they switched the pipes over, our water started coming out extra bubbly, kinda like the OP described. The water company sent out a notice that this wasn’t harmful and that it would clear up in a few days (which it did). You might want to give your water company a call. They may have been doing some maintenance in your area. ---
**Author:** ![alsoknownas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@alsoknownas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alsoknownas)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/11 "2010-03-16T18:04:25Z")
It’s probably milk. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/12 "2010-03-16T21:03:11Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > When I lived in California, our water came from a mix of reservoirs and wells, with the wells used more in Winter. The well water looked like what you describe. I suspect your local water district did something similar, recently changing its source. Where do you live, and how long have you lived there? > > ETA: the reservoir water was better from a quality point of view, but it was all safe. I live in Los Angeles, and have lived here about 6 years. I’ve never noticed anything like this, although I can be remarkably unobservant at times. The strange thing is that the kitchen sink doesn’t seem to do it but the bathroom sink does. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/13 "2010-03-16T21:41:04Z")
> [@alsoknownas](#): > > It’s probably milk. In the bathroom? I’d guess semen. Maybe the shower drain is backing up. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/14 "2010-03-16T21:49:34Z")
Does your water come from a reservoir? Around spring a lot of lakes turn over(Temperature changing causes temperature layers to mix up). Some times it ends up more aerated or even dirty tasting for a week or two in spring. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/15 "2010-03-16T22:03:55Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > I live in Los Angeles… Interesting. I also live in Los Angeles (Sun Valley neighborhood, right next to the Burbank Airport), and this morning I also noticed my water was exactly as you describe. I didn’t try the kitchen faucet, though, and it may just be a coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/16 "2010-03-16T22:09:31Z")
Definitely milk. Is your faucet mooing? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/17 "2010-03-16T22:14:15Z")
> [@Dahnlor](#): > > Interesting. I also live in Los Angeles (Sun Valley neighborhood, right next to the Burbank Airport), and this morning I also noticed my water was exactly as you describe. I’m just down the road from you in Van Nuys, so it may not be coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/18 "2010-03-17T00:48:05Z")
After getting home I checked both bathroom and kitchen faucets, bathroom is still cloudy (but definitely aerated, as it settles upward like Mangetout said), and kitchen water is clear. If the cause is a common water source, it does seem curious that it’s only affecting one faucet. At least it’s harmless. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/19 "2010-03-17T02:13:59Z")
Temperature affects the solubility of gasses in liquids. Perhaps the pipes are at different temperatures. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634/20 "2010-03-17T02:46:01Z")
> [@Dahnlor](#): > > After getting home I checked both bathroom and kitchen faucets, bathroom is still cloudy (but definitely aerated, as it settles upward like Mangetout said), and kitchen water is clear. If the cause is a common water source, it does seem curious that it’s only affecting one faucet. At least it’s harmless. On your faucet is a devi ce called an "aireator. Some introduce more air then others. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-the-water-coming-out-of-my-bathroom-faucet-is-white/532634.md?page=2)