Ugh! What is that smell? Something like rotten eggs and bad socks? Well, you don’t want to drink water like this. So, why does your water smell like rotten eggs? How can you get rid of it? Should you install a water filtration system? Here is everything you need to know about it.
What Causes Rotten Eggs Smell In Tap Water?
If you want to remove the smell of rotten eggs from your water, you first need to figure out where it comes from. Here are some of the causes of rotten-eggs-smelling water.
Hydrogen Sulfide
Rotten eggs smell is caused by a gas that can easily get dissolved in water and it’s known as hydrogen sulfide. This gas can invade wells and underground water reservoirs and cause the water to smell bad. You take one whiff of the water and you know that something is wrong.
Usually, if there is biological matter in the ground or if your water well is not protected, then hydrogen sulfide can easily invade the water and cause this putrid alteration in smell.
Bacteria
Hydrogen sulfide can mainly take root from bacteria in drinking water. Sulfur can grow from bacteria and even bacteria itself can cause sulfur to change into hydrogen sulfide, which is what leads to that very bad rotten eggs smell in water.
Sulfur is kind of like a catalyst that causes the bacteria to multiply and thrive even more. So, if you can stop the bacteria from growing, then hydrogen sulfide generation can also be halted.
Dirty Well
Sometimes, if the well is unprotected and it is not cased, then it can cause hydrogen sulfide to contaminate the water. With this, the gas can get mixed in with the water and even though it is not harmful or lethal by any means, you won’t get past the smell to try to get a taste of water that smells like really bad eggs.
This is why it’s really important to inspect the area where you’re getting your well dug. There shouldn’t be any pockets of gasses nearby and even if there are, then you should make it a priority to that the well is cased so that the water is protected from hydrogen sulfide contamination.
Faulty Water Heater
This isn’t exactly a cause, but it can sure intensify the rotten eggs smell in the water. If you’ve noticed that when the water is super hot, like in a heater or something, then the rotten egg smell is very pungent and potent, then this is because hydrogen sulfide thrives in heat. When there’s hot water and sulfur, you better believe that hydrogen sulfide synthesis will be astronomical.
So, if you have a water heater in your house, then chances are that you will experience this foul smell a lot, especially if there’s something wrong with it or if there’s the presence of sulfur.
How To Identify Rotten Eggs Smell In Water?
Here are some ways by which you can identify the smell of rotten eggs. This will make it easier for you to remove it.
Use Your Nose
The most obvious and easiest way to identify the rotten eggs smell is to use your nose and take a whiff of the scent. You won’t like it as much, but it’s a simple way to figure out whether your water is mixed in with hydrogen sulfide or not.
Usually, the smell is pretty strong in hot or lukewarm water, so that will be the best time to do a sniff test. The smell will be pronounced and you can’t fool your senses.
Is That Slime?
Sometimes, along with the putrid smell of eggs gone bad, there also might be a whitish slime-like deposition on top of the water. This is bacteria scale or slime. Since bacteria and hydrogen sulfide coexist, this is also another very common sign to indicate that the water has been altered by hydrogen sulfide.
This is something you can see in water heaters as well as standing water. The film will be slightly oily, and white, and if you do the good ole sniff test, then that is how you know that it is hydrogen sulfide.
Test Your Water
Believe it or not, sometimes it’s very hard to smell the rotten eggs stench coming from water because the concentration is too low. Unless you have a sensitive nose, the best way to identify the concentration of hydrogen sulfide is to get your water tested from a lab or you can even try one of those at-home kits that can test the water for you.
Alternatively, you can also ask your water supply company to give you a detailed water report if the smell is coming from tap water. You’ll know instantly. If there are impurities in the water and your appliances, plumbing, and well is fine, then you should consider installing a whole house water filtration system Loudoun County.
How To Remove Rotten Eggs Smell From Your Drinking Water?
Now that you know how your water can go from odorless to smelling like putrid rotten eggs, here are some ways by which you can get rid of it for good.
Chlorination
If there’s hydrogen sulfide, then bacteria aren’t far away either. In this case, your best bet will be to employ chlorination and get rid of the bacteria as well as the rotten eggs smell for good. There are chlorine tablets that you can toss into your water heater, water tank, and even the water well.
Just make sure to use the quantity mentioned on the package because if you use too much chlorine, then the water will turn very bleachy and bitter. So, always make sure to read the label and then use the desired quantity to get rid of that rotten eggs stench from your water.
Water Filter
There are a variety of water filters available and some of them can be just what you need to get rid of that very bad rotten eggs smell from the water. All you need to do is fit the filter, which has a really small micron size mesh and it will filter the water for you.
Over time, it is going to get rid of the smell for good and if you want to keep things that way, then you just need to change the filter regularly and you will no longer have to face (or smell) the wrath of rotten eggs.
Replace The Anode Rod
Water heaters are equipped with anode rods made out of magnesium. They are great because they keep rust at bay, but the reaction between magnesium and the heating element can cause bacteria to form and in turn, it can lead to a rotten eggs smell.
This is why you want to change the anode rod and opt for aluminum rods. They will last long and they won’t have the problem that magnesium rods do. Your water heater will also work effortlessly following this easy replacement.
Conclusion
Rotten eggs smell is very unpleasant and it can make you want to stay thirsty all day instead of taking a tiny sip of water. That’s why you should have the water tested so you can decide which water treatment Berkeley County system to pick. And if you use a water well, then you should get it inspected too before making any decision.
