What It Means If You Find White Particles In The Water From Your Sink

You're washing dishes in your sink when you suddenly notice little white specks coming from your faucet. It makes sense that you may panic a bit – is it mold? Is it dangerous? The good news is: you can relax. While white particles aren't something you want to find in your sink water, it is nothing to be overly concerned about.

According to Water Filter Guru, the white particles are likely caused by calcium carbonate, which, if you have hard water, can build up on the surfaces of your pipes and break off into little white specks that you are now seeing in your water. If you are using a well for your water source, the white particles you see can also be caused by sediment. In this case, the white specks will be more like sand. In both of these cases, while you will want to rid your water of the white particles, neither case makes your water dangerous to drink, and whether or not you fix the issue, the water is okay to use.

Before you start treating the water, you'll need to determine what the cause is. Luckily, whether you have hard water or use a sediment water filter or well water, you can test the water on your own with DIY kits. You can find a kit for hard water testing on Amazon for less than $12 and the testing kit for well water can be found on Aqua Science for $20. An even easier way to determine if your white particles are from sediment in well water is to simply fill a clear glass with the water from the tap and wait to see if those particles you saw settle at the bottom. If they do, you know that this is the cause of your white specks.

As for hard water, which is what many of us have in our homes, you can use the kit to determine what is in your water. The kits will not only help confirm that the white specks are from calcium carbonate build up, but will also let you rest easy knowing that your water isn't otherwise contaminated with anything else. If the at-home tests prove that the white particles are from calcium, you may want to consider a water softening system.

While the white particles, when confirmed to be calcium buildup from hard water, are not dangerous to our health, you probably aren't thrilled with the idea of drinking a glass of water with white specks floating around. To completely rid your water of buildup, you may want to consider installing a water softener system, which will remove the calcium and avoid any future buildup. But before you stop reading, it's important to note that there are downsides to soft water systems. Not only are these systems quite pricey – you're looking at between $1,000 and $3,000 for a professional installation – they can also be dangerous to the environment, increase your water bill, and can contain high levels of sodium.

For a cheaper, and more environmentally friendly fix, you can add a filter to your faucet instead. While it may not completely fix your white particle issue, it will make it significantly better. Plus, you can rest easy knowing your water is going through a filtration system before using. The PUR Faucet Vertical Mount Water Filtration System is a good option for the budget-conscious and is only $20 at Target. For something a bit more intense, the APEC Water System, which can be found on Amazon for $200, is a great option, just make sure you read the directions on how to properly install it.