Sulphur taste in well water

A more common way that sulfur ends up in your well water is through rain or groundwater. If the levels are high enough, the sulfur in your water can have a laxative-like effect that leads to diarrhea and, in extreme cases, dehydration. While these symptoms can alleviate over time as your body adjusts to drinking more sulfur, many people prefer not to deal with them at all. Besides leading to a few health complications, another major reason to get rid of sulfur in your well water has to do with the growth of iron bacteria. These bacteria occur naturally, but high levels of hydrogen sulfide can encourage their growth in your water system. In extreme cases, iron bacteria can back up your entire system and leave you with hardly any well water. Sulfur in your well water can also corrode your system and damage any metal pipes and pumps.

Replacement Water Filters

You may notice black stains on your laundry or discoloration on your utensils. Besides the health risks, the growth of iron bacteria, and the corrosion of your pipes, hydrogen sulfide also has an unpleasant smell that can make it hard to use your well water. The rotten egg stench can linger around your home, and it can discourage a lot of homeowners from using their well water for drinking or bathing. Many people end up purchasing a water testing kit — which usually tests for common contaminants, like iron, hydrogen sulfide, and manganese. In some cases, only one of those supplies may have sulfur in them, which can help narrow down how the sulfide is getting in. If both samples test positive for sulfur, the problem is likely within your actual well system. Still, some people may choose to pay a laboratory for water testing rather than purchasing their own testing kit — laboratory testing is less affordable, but the results tend to be more accurate, and it can give you a better idea of how much hydrogen sulfide is in your well water.

While there are multiple ways you can do this, these are the three most common ways to do so. These chemical treatments rely on chlorine bleach and hydrogen peroxide, which reacts with the sulfur, and deoxidizes it. The chemical feed pump automatically registers the amount of chlorine or hydrogen peroxide that your water needs and gets rid of the sulfur before it ever gets to your tap. Some chemical feed pumps may also allow you to set your own chlorine bleach levels if you prefer. The chlorinated water from the pump gets stored in a tank and automatically refills itself with fresh well water every time the tank gets low. Oxidizing media filters, also sometimes called aeration treatments or air injection treatments is another way to rid your well water of sulfur or high levels of iron. The oxidizing media filter does just what the name suggests: it oxidizes the hydrogen sulfide gas back into sulfur particles and then traps it in the media filter.

The sulfur particles are insoluble and now incapable of making it past the filter and into your drinking water. Keep in mind that oxidizing media filters may require a little more maintenance, including a potassium permanganate solution when it comes time for regeneration. You can see some of the best well water filters or best sulfur water filters that have air injection oxidation technology. The carbon filter traps the hydrogen sulfide gas and prevents it from making it all the way into your home. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Sulfur-reducing bacteria or industrial activities are mostly responsible for hydrogen sulfide gas. Chemical reactions between anodes and sulfates in water heaters, and environmental pollution in rare cases can also produce hydrogen sulfide gas.

How to Get Rid of Sulfur When Well Water Smells ( Guide)

More than one quarter of all Americans who use well water are actually drinking contaminated water every day. An unpleasant sulfur smell from your water could be an indication that you are consuming contaminated water. This article explains the causes of sulfur smell in well water, how to identify hydrogen sulfide contamination, and more importantly, how to treat your well water to remove the smell. Sulfur-reducing bacteria thrive in wells. They have high survival and growth rates in low oxygen environments, like groundwater wells and plumbing systems. These organisms feed on small amounts of sulfur and produce hydrogen sulfide gas as a by-product, giving the water and your well a strong sulfur smell. There is another organism, called sulfur-oxidizing bacteria that convert sulfide into sulfur and can leave a slime deposit on pipes and screens. However, they do not create a sulfur smell. Sulfur-reducing bacteria feed on organic matter, and even human and animal waste yes — poo.

They are common in the environment — but not welcome in your well water! If you are live near some of these industries, this may be the cause of your sulfur smell. Hydrogen sulfide gas can also be produced naturally at hot springs, such as the hot springs at Yellowstone, or Glenwood in Colorado. Because of this, hydrogen sulfide gas can naturally occur in your groundwater, and give your well water a rotten-egg smell. The anode can react with sulfates that are in your water to produce hydrogen sulfide gas. Sulfur-reducing bacteria may also be present in water heaters. If you notice the sulfur odor coming from your hot water, then the water heater is most likely the source of the hydrogen sulfide and the anode will need replacing. The smell or taste of sulfur or rotten-eggs from your water, and the discoloration of home appliances are the easiest ways to detect the presence of sulfur in your well water. However, periodic water testing for hydrogen sulfide is more confirmatory and informative as to your course of action.

Well water testing kits are readily available online, affordable, easy to use and provide results within minutes. We recommend this well water testing kit that specifically tests for hydrogen sulfide, available from Tap Score.

City water

They also provide detailed on how to conduct the test and understand your results. For this purpose, it is advisable to test water from all the different water supplies coming from your well, and especially, the hot and cold water. This is important to determine the source of the hydrogen sulfide odor and will determine which treatment method you should use. The test kits come with a strip and step-by-step instructions for use.

How to Get Rid of Sulfur When Well Water Smells

If the change only occurs only in the hot water sample, then you should check your water heater as this is most likely the problem. EPA recommends testing your water annually. An unpleasant smell from your well water does not just mean you water looks, smells and tastes bad. It can also be harmful. When in the air, hydrogen sulfide gas is flammable and poisonous, but when consumed with water it can cause diarrhea and dehydration after long periods of consumption. It is vital to get your water source fully tested to detect the source of your sulfur smell, and find a solution as soon as possible. A more prominent effect of sulfur in water is that it provides a conducive environment for the growth of iron bacteria. These are organisms that react with iron to form sticky, slimy, reddish brown deposits on different home appliances. They can cause corrosion in pipes, contaminate water with metal flakes and lead to cracks and leakages. Small amounts of sulfur in drinking water are relatively harmless since most of the foods you consume frequently are rich in sulfur, including beef, turkey, eggs and chickpeas.

However, in large quantities or after prolonged consistent consumption, there is a risk of diarrhea and dehydration.