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The main reason for the smell is sulfur bacteria or hydrogen sulfide. Sulfur bacteria are found in environments that lack oxygen, like deep wells. You’ll also find such issues in areas having plumbing systems and organic matter.
How do you get rid of smelly well water?
Shock your well with chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide to get temporary relief from sulfur odors. Often keeps odors away for 1 – 2 months. 2. Chlorinator: Install a chlorine injector system (chlorinator) on your wellhead for continuous injection of chlorine when the water is running.
Is it safe to drink well water that smells like rotten eggs?
In most cases drinking water that has a strong rotten egg odor, although particularly unpleasant, is perfectly safe to drink. However in some rare occasions the odor may be caused by sewage or other contaminates in a building’s water supply, which could cause health problems.
How do you get rid of sulfur smell in well water?
Disinfect and flush the water heater with a chlorine bleach solution. Chlorination can kill sulfur bacteria. If all bacteria are not destroyed by chlorination, the problem may return within a few weeks. Increase the water heater temperature to 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius) for several hours.
How do you remove hydrogen sulfide from well water?
Aeration. Since hydrogen sulfide occurs as a gas in water, it can be physically removed by injecting air into the water and allowing the gas to escape. Aeration units may work by cascading, bubbling, or stripping the gas from the water. Aeration may be advantageous because it does not add chemicals to the water.
Can I pour bleach down my well?
Mix 2 quarts bleach in 10 gallons of water; pour into well. Connect a garden hose to a nearby faucet and wash down the inside of the well. Open each faucet and let the water run until a strong chlorine odor is detected, then turn it off and go to the next one. Pour it into the well without pumping.
How often should you treat your well water?
Homeowners with private wells should have their well water tested every 3 to 5 years for some contaminants, including bacteria. If these tests turn up positive for bacteria, chlorinating the well may be a way to resolve the problem.
Do water filters remove sulfur?
Small amounts of sulfur can also be removed from drinking water with a reverse osmosis filter or a granulated activated carbon filter, but neither method is very effective on its own.
Can anode rod causing rotten egg smell?
The most common cause of smelly water is anaerobic bacteria that exist in some water and react with the magnesium and aluminum sacrificial anodes that come with most water heaters to produce hydrogen sulfide gas, making the classic rotten egg odor.
Why does my well water smell Swampy?
There are two types of bacteria that cause odors: sulfur- oxidizing and sulfur- reducing. Some sulfur bacteria form deposits that can clog a well screen and pump piping. Sulfur bacteria samples are difficult to collect and take a long time to analyze. You may wish to have your water tested for iron bacteria instead.
How much does it cost to shock a well?
To disinfect your well and eliminate the bacteria, you should chlorinate the well. You can hire a company that services wells to do the chlorinating. The cost ranges from $80 – $200.
How do you fix rotten egg smell in hot water?
To get rid of the bad odor, you’ll want to contact a plumber to flush and disinfect your tank. Doing so will remove the bacteria and particles that create hydrogen sulfide. During a water heater flush, a plumber can replace your anode rod if it is corroded to prevent the smell in the future.
Will a carbon filter remove sulfur smell?
Activated carbon filters at the tap or for the entire house can remove small amounts of hydrogen sulfide, so these are best for water in which the sulfur smell isn’t too strong.
Why does only one faucet smell like rotten eggs?
Sulfur tries to find the path of least resistance to come out of, which is sometimes through the pipes leading to one particular faucet. It’s possible a pipe to the faucet is kinked, trapping the sulfur inside its nooks and crannies. The odor could also be an issue with something rotting inside the drain.
Is it bad to smell sulfur?
Smelling hydrogen sulfide does not mean that it will harm your health. The smell can cause worry, anxiety and resentment. Repeated odour events may culminate in real symptoms such as headache, fatigue and nausea. Although these are not direct health effects they are undesirable.
Should I shock my well?
Wells should be shock chlorinated when a well water sample result shows that there is bacteria in the water. Any time a well is opened for repair it must be disinfected. Newly-built wells should also be shock chlorinated following construction.
How do you sanitize a well?
Rinse the inside of the well casing with a garden hose or bucket for 5-10 minutes. Open all faucets inside the home and run the water until you notice a strong odor of chlorine (bleach) at each faucet. Turn off all faucets and allow the solution to remain in the well and plumbing for a minimum of 12 hours.
