Hydrogen sulfide can be challenging to test at it escapes quickly from a liquid.
Sudden sulphur smell in well water.
Thus sending a sample off to a lab can be ineffective.
And it is important to identify the source of the stench in order to ensure safe clean drinking water.
While it is not necessarily dangerous for your water to smell like sulfur it may signify high levels of pollution or chemicals.
Install a chlorine injector system chlorinator on your wellhead for continuous injection of chlorine when the water is running.
Here are the best ways to stop the sulfur smell preventing the development of sulphate reducing bacterium.
Shock your well with chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide to get temporary relief from sulfur odors.
If your water smells like rotten eggs the odor is usually caused by the levels of sulfur bacteria and hydrogen sulfide that can be found in a building s water supply.
There are a number of ways sulfur bacteria can enter the well but the most common is the absence of oxygen which creates sulfide gas.
If the scent appears suddenly take precautions to avoid ingesting or using the water until it can be tested.
Hydrogen sulfide can be fatal in high doses and it s flammable but because it has such a distinctive odor it s usually detected well before it becomes dangerous.
Chemicals in the water can react to the anode resulting is a sulfur smell indoors.
Often keeps odors away for 1 2 months.
Sulfur is the typical culprit behind the infamous rotten egg smell.
Over 316 contaminants have been detected in water reservoirs across the u s.
Generally seen living in a low oxygen environment such as water heaters deep wells as well as in the plumbing network this sulfate reducing bacteria take their energy from sulfur.
This page provides basic information about hydrogen sulfide gas and sulfur bacteria and discusses actions that you can take to minimize their effects.
Chlorination eliminates the sulfur bacteria that cause the odor and combined with an air charger self.
The rotten egg smell in well water comes from hydrogen sulfide a gas produced by certain bacteria in the groundwater.
If you only experience the smell when using your hot tap it may be a chemical reaction occurring inside your hot water heater and not a problem with your water supply.
If you have well water or a water softener you re at an increased risk of the anode having a chemical.
It s corrosive though and can damage plumbing pipes pumps and other metal parts associated with water.
If it doesn t smell like sulphur that classic rotton egg smell then you re in luck it s almost certain that you can fix the problem at your water heater.
Rarely the sulfur smell can result from sewage entering the well.
