Too much air in my water, what causes it?

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For the past month or so, our community water has been coming out with millions of tiny air bubbles that take quite awhile to rise to the surface once poured in a glass to watch! Its only been something of recent. Do the lines somewhere have a suction leak drawing in air? Its probably not harmful, I am just curious if someone knows what the cause is and if our water association should be concered? Its a weird sensation to drink it like that too!

-- Sonya (clb@watervalley.net), June 29, 2001

Answers

Are other people on the system expericing this? If it is only you then look for vacuum leaks by placing soap suds on the exposed lines, the bubbles will draw in as the water is flowing. Soap bubbles are also a good safe way to find pressure leaks in propane or natural gas systems.

-- mitch hearn (moopups1@aol.com), June 29, 2001.

It is possible to have natural gas in your well. Don't get too freaked out about it until you find out for sure. I have a cousin in Indiana that can fill a pitcher of water, let it stand for a second or two, and acutally light the top of it with a match! It only burns for a split second, but it sure is wild to watch.

I have no idea for sure what your problem is, or how to fix the problem, but my cousins problem is descibed the same way you described yours.

-- just a thought (Just@thought.com), June 30, 2001.


Sonya, most likely there is a leak on the upstream side of a check valve, which allows some water to leak out of the pipe when the pump is off. Either way, the air in the system is dissolved in the water when it's under pressure. When you run the water into a glass, the pressure is reduced to almost zero, and some of the air comes out of solution, resulting in these small bubbles.

A less likely possibility is an out of adjustement snifter valve on your air charge pressure tank (if that's the kind you have). But if you have an air charge pressure tank, there would likely have been air like that in the water already.

JOJ

-- jumpoff joe (jumpoff@ecoweb.net), July 02, 2001.


I had this and it was easily solved. My faucet had an aerator that was clogged. I cleaned it thoroughly with vinegar. No more air bubbles.

-- Carole in Tx (carle@earthlink.net), July 04, 2001.

Yes, others on the system are apparently experiencing this too. I didn't think it was an aerator problem since it was the case all over the house and others have it too. We did notice that the effect is less in the kitchen than the two bathrooms, which throws me. I don't even want to drink it from the bathrooms bec it reminds me of chemicals and alka-seltzers! My husband is getting with one of the guys who helps manage the system with Jumpoff's suggestion.

-- Sonya (clb@watervalley.net), July 04, 2001.


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