Why does my water look milky? Why is my water cloudy? Is cloudy water safe to drink? These are some of the critical questions that come to the minds of people as they stare aghast at the turbid white water coming out their taps. Obviously, when peering at this suspicious fluid, there is a deep sense of foreboding that this water will prove dangerous for your health. And you are right.
Our Pick for the Best Reverse Osmosis System
Removes solids smaller than 1 micron to purify drinking water
Introduces calcium, potassium and magnesium into purified water to remineralise it
Reduces over 74 contaminants, metals, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals
Targets chlorine and ammonia via carbon filtration
Tank needs to be maintained and kept clean
Modular all-in-one filter design for easy maintenance
Comes with a complete DIY-friendly installation kit
EPA approved and certified by leading drinking water environmental groups
More expensive than most systems
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Gastrointestinal Illnesses from Milky Water
Studies are now showing that cloudy and milky water can lead to gastrointestinal illnesses, vomiting and diarrhea. Research has linked cloudy and milky water to several illnesses, making it clear that it is unsafe for you to drink.
Having understood this, the straight answer to your question ‘is cloudy water safe to drink?’ is an emphatic ‘No!’
Milky Water Scientific Studies
One study carried out by Drexel University shows that water turbidity is linked with illnesses of the gastrointestinal tract. Water turbidity refers to the level of cloudiness, milkiness or opaqueness found in dirty, unsafe water. Gastrointestinal illnesses can affect the organs in your gastrointestinal tract such as the stomach, esophagus, large intestine, small intestine and rectum. The GI tract may also include organs that aid in digestion like the pancreas, gallbladder and liver.
Anneclaire De Roos is an associate professor at the Dornsife School of Public Health. According to her, there are more than 10 studies to show that turbid water is linked to gastrointestinal illnesses. She said that the results from studies prove that gastrointestinal illnesses rise in areas where turbid and cloudy tapwater is to be found. Waterborne pathogens cause gastrointestinal illnesses like cryptosporidium, giardia and norovirus. Infection from these pathogens may manifest in symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea.
Cloudiness or milkiness in water is due to undissolved solid particles floating about in water. Some researchers think that these particles may provide refuge for pathogens that cause gastrointestinal diseases. The cloudiness may also be an indication of contamination.
Further research is being carried out to find the link between cloudy milky water and disease. However, till till research reaches a conclusion, you will be well advised to take proactive measures on your own to safeguard your own health as well as the health of your family.
Symptoms of Milky Water
Symptoms and signs of gastrointestinal diseases include fever, bloody stools, cramps, abdominal pain and loss of appetite. Legionnaire’s disease is another harmful condition linked to dirty water infested with legionella bacteria. It can instigate symptoms like confusion, fatigue, chills, high temperatures, muscle pain and headaches. In extreme cases, Legionnaire’s disease can prove to be fatal.
One of the ways to avoid Legionnaire’s disease as well as other waterborne illnesses is to avoid drinking water that has been lying stagnant for several days. After you return home from a holiday, you should also run your taps so that any bacteria-laden water is cleared out.
Air Bubbles in Milky Water
However, there may be other reasons for cloudiness as well, which are not as harmful. You might open your tap to get water that is cloudy and milky when you examine it in a clear container. The cloudiness may clear up by itself. The cloudiness in water may be due to air getting trapped in the water in the form of bubbles that go away on their own eventually leaving behind clear water. If the cloudiness in water is due to air bubbles then it may not be a cause for concern. However, if the cloudiness does not go away then you should be worried.
What You Can Do About Your Tap Water
Even if your water does not have any lingering cloudiness and turbidity, you should still be suspicious of water that looks clear for it might contain several harmful contaminants. Clear water is in no way a guarantee for pure water. There may still be harmful pollutants in water, despite its clarity. After all, you don’t need large amounts of powerful toxins to ruin your health. Even small amounts of lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic are enough to cause serious health consequences if consumed in the long term. The amounts required for serious health consequences are so miniscule that they may not even be visible. You can have several heavy metals and contaminants at unsafe levels in your water without even being able to detect them through visual inspection alone.
As a consequence, you need to take whatever steps you can to remain safe. You need to install a water treatment solution that can remove visible and invisible pollutants, contaminants and toxins from your tap water. Reverse osmosis systems can help to substantially reduce levels of harmful substances in your drinking water.
Here is how to fix cloudy tap water.
The Reverse Osmosis Advantage
Reverse osmosis systems can substantially reduce all kinds of harmful substances in your tap water, including radium, fluoride, arsenic, lead, chromium, copper, chloride, mercury and cadmium.
Reverse osmosis systems are also very good at removing all kinds of viruses, bacteria and protozoa from your tap water. The reason why reverse osmosis systems are so effective against a wide array of toxins and pathogens is due to the extremely fine pores in the filter deployed. The pore size in reverse osmosis filters is just around 0.0001 micron making it a high performance material for effective water treatment.
Reverse osmosis systems deploy a semi-permeable membrane to remove harmful contaminants and pathogens from untreated water. These devices operate through a process, which is the opposite of the natural osmosis process found in nature, hence, the name of these devices. RO systems force untreated water through the ultra fine pores of the semi-permeable membrane. As a result, many harmful pathogens and toxic substances get trapped on one side of the membrane while purified water passes through the pores to the other side.
Removes solids smaller than 1 micron to purify drinking water
Introduces calcium, potassium and magnesium into purified water to remineralise it
Reduces over 74 contaminants, metals, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals
Targets chlorine and ammonia via carbon filtration
Tank needs to be maintained and kept clean
Modular all-in-one filter design for easy maintenance
Comes with a complete DIY-friendly installation kit
EPA approved and certified by leading drinking water environmental groups
More expensive than most systems
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