Why Are There White Flakes in Your Tap Water and Should You Be Worried About Drinking It?

It's not uncommon for Americans to often reach for tap water whenever they're thirsty. After all, prevalent skepticism around bottled water has made many choose tap water as their go-to option. While the case may be different in other parts of the world, tap water is routinely considered a safe consumption. Regardless of that, it is possible that sometimes tap water may have white flakes floating in it but experts confirm it is nothing to worry about. In fact, these white flakes in a glass of water may be beneficial for some people as they indicate nutrient-rich sources, per a Taste of Home report. 

A close examination of any glass of drinking water would reveal whether it contains easily observable white flakes floating. If present, the tap water running through your home is likely hard water. While not a matter of worry, such water sources are rich in nutrients like calcium and magnesium and benefit people with nutrient deficiencies. Moreover, human diets require these two minerals in certain amounts and a simple glass of water can be enriching to the body in such cases. The report explains that hard water can be differentiated from packaged water bottles in terms of taste and smell. Hard water is said to have a little more taste and flavor along with an earthy smell, often cherished by people. 

However, some others have described hard water odors smell like sulfur or rotten eggs as per the intensity of the mineral content. Homes having hard water also have a few cons. The rich concentration of nutrients and minerals can cause a buildup of nutrient mass in the pipes and taps, blocking the pathway. Frequent showers in hard water can result in dry skin and hair whereas stain dishes with water spots. The report suggested a simple method to check if your home water source has hard or soft water. To start with, take a clear water bottle and fill one-third of it with tap water from the kitchen faucet or bathtub. Add a bit of dye-free and odor-free soap to the water bottle and shake. Close observation of the kind of bubble formation would indicate the type of water. 

In case the bottle exhibits a sufficient amount of bubbles normally caused by soaps, the water source is soft water. Whereas a mixture showing few or sparse bubbles indicates that the bottled water contains hard water that limits the ability of soap to cause bubbles. According to Brittanica, the hardness of water is due to the existing minerals recovered from deposits of limestones, chalk, and gypsum. They may appear as reddish-brown stains on washed fabrics and enameled surfaces. There are two types of hard water– temporary and permanent. 

Hard water containing calcium bicarbonate is called temporary hardness because the mineral is converted to insoluble carbonate when boiled. Any other mineral causing the hardness is permanent hard water. The water generally escapes the effectiveness of soap but that has changed with modern detergents nullifying the determining reaction with hard water. However, it can also be transformed into soft water in small quantities with the addition of ammonia, borax, or trisodium phosphate in combination with washing soda or sodium carbonate. In large scales, lime is used to precipitate the calcium as carbonate and the magnesium as hydroxide.