Why Is My Brita Water Cloudy? What Could Be Wrong?

UPDATED: October 3, 2022

Using a Brita water filter is a great way to improve the taste of your drinking water and to help remove unpleasant odors from your drinking water, but why does your Brita water look cloudy?

Cloudy water from a Brita filter is caused by air bubbles or carbon dust from a new filter cartridge, impurities in your water that a Brita Filter does not remove or you may have cloudy water coming into the Brita filter.

There can be several reasons why the water from your Brita water filter can appear cloudy. Cloudy water from a Brita filter is actually quite common and it is likely to be caused by one of these reasons.

• Air bubbles from a new filter

• Carbon dust from a new filter

• Dissolved solids in your water

• Fine sediment in your water

Cloudy Brita Water May Be Caused By Air Bubbles From A New Filter.

Before a Brita water filter is installed it contains air rather than water. Even after some water has been run through the filter, air may still be trapped inside of the filter and in the crevasses of the carbon granules contained inside the filter.

Tiny pockets of air trapped in the carbon of a Brita filters carbon can gradually work their way out of the carbon and become visible as cloudy water.

If the water coming out of your Brita filter starts out cloudy but becomes clear after it sits for a short period of time, it is most likely due to air that has been trapped inside of your Brita filter.

Soaking your new Brita filter for 15 – 20 minutes in water and giving it a little shake every few minutes before you install it will help to remove the excess air inside of the new filter.

Carbon Dust Can Make Your Brita Water Appear Cloudy.

The carbon granules inside of a Brita filter that removes odd tastes and odors from your water can also contain much smaller particles of carbon dust.

This powdery carbon dust can get flushed out of a new Brita filter and cause your water to have a cloudy look.

Unlike trapped air bubbles coming out of a Brita filter, if the water coming from your new Brita filter is cloudy and does NOT become clear after a short period of time, it may be carbon dust that has been flushed out of your new Brita filter.

Carbon granules may also break down due to the characteristics of your water which can also make your water appear cloudy even if you have been using the Brita filter for some time.

Your Water May Contain Impurities That A Brita Filter Will NOT Remove.

Although a Brita filter does reduce and even remove many impurities from your water, it does NOT remove all impurities from your water.

A Brita filter does NOT remove dissolved solids in water. A home distiller or reverse osmosis drinking water system is most often used to greatly reduce the number of dissolved solids in your drinking water to make it healthier to drink.

If you are concerned about high levels of dissolved solids in your water, I highly recommend that you check out my recommended water distillers and recommended reverse osmosis drinking water systems.

Dissolved solids like salt in water can change over time and sometimes the number of dissolved solids in your water can get high enough to where you can actually see cloudiness in your water due to the number of dissolved solids suspended in your water.

Your Water May Be Cloudy Because Your Brita Faucet Filter Is On Bypass.

Just because you are used to seeing crystal clear water from your Brita faucet filter, you may not see the same clear water from your regular tap when your Brita faucet filter has been bypassed.

Water that does not go through your Brita faucet filter may be “Aerated” when it comes directly from the sink tap.

Aerated water is water that has gone through a screen or filter that allows air to get mixed in with the water.

This added air to the water can give it a cloudy look that will clear up after just a short time when left to settle.

Your Water May Be Cloudy Before It Went Through Your Brita Filter.

A Brita filter may remove many impurities from your water, but if your water contains air bubbles or impurities that will make your water appear cloudy, the water coming from your Brita filter may look cloudy even though it has gone through your Brita filter.

Your Water Could Be Cloudy When It Comes Out Of Your Water Softener.

A properly working water softener should not add air bubbles or impurities to your water that would make your water appear cloudy.

But a crack in a water softener brine tube, a loose-fitting, or even a worn part inside of the water softener control valve may introduce air into your water which can make the water coming from your Brita filter look cloudy.

Excessive salt left over after a water softener may leave your water with a cloudy look and since a Brita filter will NOT remove sodium (SALT) from your water, the Brita filtered water will look cloudy.

If your water contains iron and your water softener is not able to remove the iron from your water, a Brita filter may not be able to remove the iron and your water may have a yellow or orange cloudy look to it.

Some Iron And Sulfur Removal Systems May Make Your Water Cloudy.

Many Iron and Sulfur removal systems use a pocket of air in their tank to help remove the iron and sulfur from your water.

If this air dissolves in your water and does not get removed when your water comes out of the iron and sulfur removal system, the air may come out as cloudy water after it has been dispensed by your Brita water filter.

Cold Water May Have More Air Bubbles That Makes Your Water Cloudy.

Colder water can retain dissolved air bubbles better than warmer water.

If you have just noticed cloudy water coming from your Brita faucet during colder months, your water may be retaining more dissolved air bubbles than during warmer months of the year.

If you only notice cloudiness from your Brita water filter when using cold water, you may simply have more dissolved air in your cold water and it will dissipate after sitting for a short period of time.

Sediment In Your Water Supply May Make Your Water Cloudy.

A Brita water filter contains a filtering screen to remove larger sediment from your water.

But very small sediment may get through this screen which will make your water appear cloudy.

If the cloudiness in your water coming from your Brita filter does not clear after sitting for several minutes, you may have fine sediment in your water that can not be removed by a Brita water filter.

To Sum Up:

Cloudy water coming from a Brita water filter is usually caused by dissolved air bubbles in the water or impurities that are contained in your water prior to the Brita filter.

If you let your water sit for several minutes and it becomes clear, your water is most likely cloudy due to dissolved air in your water.

If your water remains cloudy even after sitting for several minutes, you may have impurities in your water that cannot be removed by a Brita water filter.