WATER condensed into glass or quartz capillaries has unusual properties, which have been ascribed to the formation of a new polymer termed “orthowater”1, “anomalous” water2,3 or “polywater”4. The only reasonable alternative interpretation, that “anomalous” water is a dispersion of material leached from the capillaries, has repeatedly been rejected1–6. I suggest that the grounds for rejection are inconclusive and summarize evidence to support the leaching interpretation. The direct evidence is the formation of residues when “anomalous” water is evaporated. These include optically anisotropic solid material2; “what appeared to be small crystals”2; a high-viscosity residue with a refractive index close to that of ‘Pyrex’ glass2; and a gel5. Such diverse residues are compatible with the expected properties of silicate solutions; no alternative explanation has been offered.