Cloudy Well Water: What Causes It and Is It Safe?

Cloudy well water is usually one of three things: air, sediment or rain water getting into the well. Air is harmless and clears in a minute. Sediment means something down the hole has changed. Cloudy water after a heavy rain is the one to take seriously, because surface water can carry bacteria. Austin Drilling has been sorting out cloudy well water across South Carolina for 66 years, and the glass test is where we start every time.

How do you tell what's making your well water cloudy?

Fill a clear glass at the kitchen tap and watch it for a minute or two.

If the water is milky white and clears from the bottom up, that's air. If the haze hangs around and a fine layer settles on the bottom, that's sediment. If it's tan, brown or muddy and the weather just turned wet, think rain water first.

When it showed up matters as much as how it looks. Did it start right after a pump or tank repair? After a long day of watering the yard? After two inches of rain overnight? Each of those points to a different cause.

Why is my well water cloudy all of a sudden?

Sudden cloudy water almost always ties back to a recent change. A pump swap, a power outage or a new pressure tank can push air into the lines, and it clears on its own. If yours clears from the bottom up and keeps coming back, read our page on air in water lines on a well. A leaking check valve is a common cause.

Heavy use is another common trigger for it. Run the sprinkler all afternoon and the water level in the well drops. The pump starts pulling from closer to the bottom, and fine silt comes with it. If that's your pattern, the well may be struggling to keep up. Our page on a well running dry walks through the warning signs.

If the haze settles out as grit every day, the pump, the screen or the casing may be letting it in. We cover that in detail on sediment in well water.

Is cloudy well water safe to drink?

Air bubbles are safe to drink. Sediment usually isn't harmful, but it's a sign something changed. Cloudy water after a storm or flooding is different, and you shouldn't drink it until it's tested.

If your well flooded, use bottled or boiled water for drinking and cooking until the well has been disinfected and tested (SC DHEC, "Private Wells: What to Do Before and After Storms"). The state recommends testing 7-10 days after disinfecting.

You can pick up a test kit at your local health department or DES regional office. The sample has to go back the same day you collect it. The state also runs a Private Well Hotline at 1-888-761-5989 for questions.

What should you do about cloudy water after heavy rain?

Cloudy water that shows up only after hard rain means surface water is finding a way in. The usual path is a cracked casing, a loose well cap or a seal that has failed. That's a repair, and a filter won't fix it.

Start by switching to bottled water for drinking. Then get a sample of the water tested. If the test comes back positive, the well needs a shock chlorination and a real look at the casing and cap. Disinfecting without fixing the gap just means you'll be doing it again after the next storm.

Austin Drilling finds where the water is getting in and closes it up. Our well repair crews take it from there.

When should you call a well company about cloudy water?

Call us if it keeps coming back, showed up after rain, or comes with low pressure. Call Austin Drilling in West Columbia at (803) 926-5402 or Newberry at (803) 926-7080. We're open Monday through Friday from 7am to 6pm, and Saturday by appointment. We'll find the cause and get your water running clear again.

FAQ

Why is my well water cloudy, then it clears up?

That pattern is almost always just air. Tiny bubbles make the water look milky, then rise out within a minute or two. It's harmless, but a repeat problem can point to a check valve.

Can hard water make well water cloudy?

Treatment companies like Culligan list dissolved minerals as one cause of a lasting haze. Much of the Midlands has hard well water, which we cover on our page about hard water in South Carolina.

Will a filter fix cloudy well water?

A sediment filter catches grit, but it won't stop rain water or a failing pump. Find the cause first, then decide on a filter.