How To Clear Up And Fix Cloudy Well Water

The condition of private wells changes during the rainy season, especially if your area experiences heavy rain daily. Cloudy well water after heavy rainfall is expected. However, it would be best if you didn’t let it stay that way.

If it is your family’s primary source, it is best not to ignore cloudy well water. Changes in the color of your water indicate contamination and must be taken seriously.

Why Does My Well Water Look Cloudy?

Cloudy water is quite common after rain and is caused by different issues. Naturally occurring air bubbles could turn your water cloudy, which is often expected, but can also signal the presence of dangerous gases.

If your water suddenly becomes cloudy after heavy rainfall, you could be dealing with rainfall runoff contamination, septic cross-contamination, rusty plumbing, or other issues that require your attention. Any of these issues must be addressed to avoid health problems in the future.

Well-water issues such as heavy rain runoff are common, especially during the rainy season. There’s a huge chance your well water is contaminated after the rain.

Common Causes of Cloudy Well Water

Air Bubbles

Air bubbles or dissolved gases in water are one cause of cloudy well water. Usually, when water levels drop, your main pump begins pumping both water and air. A water-introduced air then creates gas bubbles that are incorporated into your main tap water supply. Cloud bubbles may also contain a natural gas called methane. Methane at low levels does not pose any threats. However, if methane levels reach up to 28mg/L in your well, it could lead to severe problems such as an explosion. Here are options to solve this problem. First is to reduce the water use at home when the well water levels drop. Making an effort would prevent such problems. The second option is to invest in water filters. A Water filtration system can save you more time and money well spent. Now you can constantly enjoy pure and clean water at home.

We recommend having your well water tested if you start to notice any signs or presence of air bubbles.

Rainwater Runoff

This issue brings a variety of problems to private wells. Any change in the color of your well water is cause for concern. The discoloration is a simple warning of a major problem caused by pollutants in the water.

You, your family, and your pets risk different health problems when exposed to contaminated water. Since surface water runoff brings different contaminants, including fertilizers, animal waste, pesticides, and other pollutants, water discoloration can indicate problems that are dangerous to your health.

Fecal matters and any of the mentioned contaminants can cause serious health problems. If you have children and elderly family members, they are prone to severe illness caused by drinking contaminated well water.

Bacterial Contamination

This issue caused by your septic system requires immediate attention. Your septic system may compromise the quality of your well water. A leaking septic system may carry contaminants that pose significant threats to your health.

A complete water test will check whether there’s bacterial contamination in the private well. (see our bacterial filter) Dirt, rust residue, and silt are sometimes responsible for the cloudiness in your well water. Although these are not serious threats to your health, your water should remain clean and clear at all times.

High Water Sediment Level

High levels of sediments usually contain biological matter such as dirt, rust, silt, and other impurities. If you observe your glass of water closely, a layer of sediments forms at the bottom of your glass after leaving it for some time. Generally, sediments in cloudy water do not pose any threat to the drinker. It is a sign that it might have other more dangerous contaminants such as bacteria. Getting your water tested is recommended.

Here are some sediment particles found in well water:

• Clay

• Iron bacteria

• Sand

• Rock particles

• Silt

Investing in water filters such as sediment filter traps any sediment particles to ensure water purity and safe drinking water source.

Excess Iron or Manganese

If you notice that your cloudy well water has a reddish-brown tint, that is due to excess iron or Manganese that is present in your well water.

Iron and Manganese can be quite a chore to deal with. It can stain leaves stains when used for general cleaning such as doing the laundry, washing dishes, and so on. 

Another thing that can cause your water supply to be cloudy is iron bacteria. An iron bacteria leaves black or red sediments that can make the consistency of water sludge-like.

Is Cloudy Water Safe To Drink?

Generally speaking, it’s safe to drink cloudy water. Minor problems do not pose a threat to your health. However, they still require attention to maintain good quality water. Get your waters tested and invest in a water filtration system for your home’s safety and comfort.

How to Fix Cloudy Drinking Water

Since there are different culprits behind water discoloration, there are also several solutions to solve water issues. Finding out the cause of the problem is key to getting the right solution.

Water Testing and Maintenance

Once you’ve noticed changes in the color and smell of your water from your private well, conduct a water test to find out the cause of the cloudy well water. Wait to drink or use your water for cooking until the problem is solved.

Brown or cloudy water indicates contamination and requires a complete water test to investigate the problem. Getting your water professionally tested will give you valuable information about what caused the changes in the condition of the well water. Early detection is crucial to preventing more significant issues in your well water.

Seal Leaks

If leaks in your well water system cause the problem, then the best solution is to fix these leaks by covering them with the right sealing product. For rainwater runoff, the solution may vary from one cause to the other. Damaged well casing, a bad seal, or deteriorated grout are common reasons excess surface water enters private wells. Any of these will allow surface water seepage to get into the deep well.

Once you’ve detected why surface water can enter the well, apply the necessary action to solve the problem. Sealing off the well must be your priority before you disinfect the well. Since you can’t control nature, your only way to ensure good quality drinking water is to keep off contaminants from entering the well.

Clear Excess Air

The cloudiness of the water is caused due to dissolved gases mixing in the water. You’ll need to clear up and remove any existing air bubbles present in your pipes. Here’s what you need to do:

• Turn off the main valve supply: Before proceeding to clear up air bubbles, cutting off the main supply would help drain the existing water supply in the pipes.

• Turn on all faucets and taps indoors and outdoors: This allows the trapped air bubbles within the pipe to escape from the pipelines, but do not open the faucets fully. Doing this entraps the air bubbles and continues to create a more cloudy water supply

• Turn your main supply back on: After letting the excess air out, Turn on all faucets at full force and leave it for 15 minutes. Doing so drains the cloudy water and results in a clean water source.

Clean and Disinfect

Disinfect your well before you use it to avoid health problems. Disinfecting can be done by flushing the well and using household products such as bleach or chlorine. Certain bacteria may require chemical water treatment.

You may also contact your local authorities to assist you with disinfecting of your well. Septic system-contaminated well water requires serious attention. You must address the root cause and seal the septic system before you work on your deep well to stop the runoff.

You can contact a professional to get the job done if you don’t know how to fix the problem. If it’s the water heater, check your appliance or have a professional inspect and fix the problem.

Install a High-Quality Water Filtration System

Water filtration systems are often overlooked since most people think their tap water or well water is safe for drinking, cooking, bathing, and washing. Unfortunately, clear water doesn’t mean your water is safe and clean.

A Whole House Water filtration system like the AquaOx delivers safe, clean, clear, and great-tasting water for the whole family.

The Importance of Clean and Clear Water

Please don’t put your guard down when it comes to drinking water from your deep well. Invest in a sound quality water filter system for your daily water needs. These water treatment systems prevent water pollutants from entering the faucet in your home. You can know that you and your family are safe from water contamination.