Cloudy Water
Occasionally you may notice subtle changes in your tap water,
such as cloudiness or varying tastes and odors. This is
typically the result of the City pumping well water to meet
customer demand, when the water treatment plants are shut down
for annual maintenance. You can be assured that, despite the
changes, Mesa's water is safe to drink and continues to exceed
stringent state and federal water-quality standards.
Water in the City of Mesa water distribution system is under
pressure, causing any air present to be dissolved in the water
until the pressure is released at the tap. Dissolved air in the
water is not harmful to people and will not damage plumbing or
appliances. It can, however, have an unpleasant appearance to
some people.
Cloudy water typically is caused by millions of tiny air
bubbles. They are harmless and not a health concern. If the
amount of dissolved air is low, the water may appear to sparkle
or have small bubbles. If there is a greater amount of dissolved
air in the water, millions of very tiny bubbles will appear when
the pressure is released, giving the water a cloudy or white,
milky appearance. It may take several minutes for the air to
escape. As it does, the water will clear from the bottom of the
glass, upward.
Dissolved air is present in many of the City of Mesa's
groundwater production wells. There are several factors that can
influence the amount of dissolved or "entrained" air from deep
wells, including: Locations of the perforations in the well
casing. Depth of the well. Static water levels (depth to water)
in the well. Quantity of water pumped.
Air also may enter the distribution system during the pumping
process.