Here we will look at why and how bottled water can end up cloudy. If you are concerned because of the appearance of the water, then it is natural to feel this way. I have actually seen an individual take a bottle of water to others to show this to them, in hopes to prove that it was tampered with in some kind of way. However, shortly after, the water would turn clear as if nothing was wrong with it.
We are going to cover what is happening to the water when it is like this. There are some things that are going on in the water whenever it is transported to the bottle or container. Most of the time there is nothing to worry about. You can be sure that the company that you bought the bottled water from definitely wants you to buy it again in the future, so they aren’t going to put something in the water to jeopardize that possibility.
Also, the water is checked regularly by the government to ensure that there isn’t anything out of the regulations being done to the water that shouldn’t be done. This phenomenon of cloudy water actually happens with tap water too that comes straight out of the faucet. In fact, it can happen with any type of water, bottled, tap, distilled, or anything else.
So, what is happening to my water?
What has happened to the water is air has found its way into the water. The same air that you breathe. This can also happen during ozonation, which is done with ozone gas being used in the water to kill off any harmful bacteria in the water during the water treatment done in some bottled water facilities. Ozone gas is a harmless chemical that is made up of oxygen. However, if heavily exposed to this chemical in the air (it is used to clean air too, not just water), it can cause problems for the human body.
Water doesn’t have to be ozonated to cause it to become cloudy. It can happen by the air in the atmosphere mixing into the water as already mentioned. Water going through pressure can cause more air to mix in the water, which can make the water really cloudy, or even make it look milky temporarily.
So if the water is cloudy because of this reason, it is only temporary, as the water will begin to clear out in a matter of minutes, as soon as the water is exposed to the air again. The cloudy look (air) in the water will start to leave the water, starting from the bottom of the bottle, then gradually up as the air leaves the water. If the water isn’t clearing up after some time, then we will cover that in a second too.
Though cold water can hold more air than hot water, it can happen to both cold or hot water during its movement to a container or bottle. Another thing that can cause the water to become cloudy is the faucet that the water is coming out of. When the water pressure is turned on high enough, the water can be seen with air in it. This can be observed as the water is coming out of the faucet, when the water pressure is high enough. The water will turn from a clear stream to an airy stream of water rushing out of the faucet.
Any pressure in the water that is used to get the water from point A to its new bottle or container (point B) can cause the water to appear cloudy in the bottle.
What if my water isn’t turning clear after it is cloudy?
The water could very well be contaminated if it isn’t turning clear after it has been exposed to the air for a few minutes. It could take up to 10 minutes or more for water to turn from cloudy to clear once it is exposed to the air. This is expected to happen, especially with bottled water. However, with water coming from a faucet or another source, that isn’t clearing up naturally, contamination could be the reason.
The water could have dirt, sediments, harmful chemicals, drugs, or a number of other things that is making the water not clear, that could be in the water supply. Usually this is the first thing that people suspect when looking at water that is murky, cloudy, or milky looking, but normally this isn’t the case with bottled water that hasn’t been opened yet. This won’t be the case with tap water either if the water isn’t usually dirty.
If the bottled water has never been opened before (the tamper seal hasn’t been broken around the cap) and it is cloudy, open it and wait to see if it clears up. If the water still looks cloudy after waiting, then consider if it is the bottle that is making the water look cloudy, when it actually isn’t.
Of course, a cold bottled water in a tinted bottle can look cloudy or murky when it may not be. Our eyes can play tricks on us sometimes. Some bottled waters are advertised as glacier water and placed in slightly tinted bottles to make the water look this way through the water bottle.
If you really want to be sure, you can take the bottled water and pour it in a clear glass and have a look at it through the clear glass. If for some reason you don’t think the water is safe to drink, then don’t drink it.
We also are sometimes unaware of our actions while we are eating or drinking other things. There could be things on our lips from other sources that could be making the water contaminated or possibly cloudy after drinking the water that was previously clear. An example of this is eating powdered donuts or greasy foods and then sipping clear water.
