As the weather gets colder, I tend to use hot water more often. I turned the faucet to hot water and ran the water, but cloudy water came out. Is there a problem with the water quality?

 

The cloudy appearance of warm water is due to a 'white water phenomenon.' It is caused by air entering the water and is unrelated to water quality.

 

Air that enters the drainage pipe from the water treatment plant to the household turns into small bubbles due to strong pressure. When these finely broken bubbles come into contact with hot water, they dissolve easily. These tiny bubbles dissolved in the water cause scattering of light, making the water appear cloudy.

 

Since the water quality has not deteriorated, it is possible to shower and it is safe to drink.

When water is collected and some time passes, bubbles rise to the surface and the water becomes clear again.

The cloudy appearance of the cold water is a problem. There is a possibility that zinc from old pipes has mixed in.

 

Unlike other heavy metals, zinc turns blue when dissolved in water. When ingested as a nutrient, it boosts immunity, but prolonged excessive exposure in the form of heavy metal can lead to poisoning or chronic diseases. Therefore, since 1994, the use of zinc-coated steel pipes in drainage systems has been prohibited, but they still remain in aging water supply and drainage systems.

 

If you are concerned about water quality, you can use the "Tap Water Safety Check" service.

 

If you visit the internet homepage 'Water Love Nuri Website' and apply for water quality testing, the local public official in charge will visit to collect water samples from the tap and request the water quality testing agency to conduct the test.

 

Initially, tests are conducted for turbidity, residual chlorine, pH (hydrogen ion concentration), iron, copper, and zinc levels. If any of these exceed the standard values, a secondary test is performed. In this case, additional items such as total bacteria, total coliform bacteria, chloride ions, ammonia nitrogen, manganese, color, and hardness are included in the second test.

 

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Visiting the house

It seems that it can be requested through water quality testing.

 

Does it appear cloudy in cold water?

Please start by checking.

 

Hot water is okay.