What to do when your Water Smells Like Rotten Eggs

If you own a water well, you may realize that sometimes the water smells like rotten eggs. The awful smell is caused by contaminants that are present in your water. The problem is that you rarely experience such a thing if you typically use municipal water because it’s usually treated before it’s distributed through the pipes and into your home. Since borehole water is never treated from the source, it can be contaminated by impurities such as lead, iron and manganese. When these impurities start to decompose, they normally produce a gas known as hydrogen sulfide.

In fact, it’s the sulfide that causes the water to have a disgusting stench. It’s difficult to use such contaminated water for quenching your thirst, washing clothes or in the bathroom. Apart from making you feel like throwing up, the contaminants can trigger certain health conditions such as persistent headaches, difficulty in breathing, convulsions and nausea among other illnesses. This means that the water can’t be used for supporting farming activities. Fortunately, there are ways of salvaging the situation to avoid further contamination of water. Here is a list of the things you should do when you notice the smell of rotten eggs in your water.

1. Confirm your Fears

Although an awful smell indicates that water has already been contaminated by impurities, it’s important you make arrangements for it to be tested. The test results that you will get will let you know the pollutants you are dealing with. The testing should be carried out by a certified laboratory facility. You should find such a lab in your area and take your water samples for testing. Since the results are never released on the same day, you should wait for several days after submitting your water samples. But the wait is usually worth it because the test offers a comprehensive analysis to unmask every bacteria that might be contained in the water so that you can make an informed decision. The results also include the possible solutions for alleviating the problem.

2. Installation of a Filtration System

Since bottled water can’t be used for domestic purposes, filtration systems like the one that’s available at https://www.aquaoxwaterfilters.com/hydrogen-sulfide-rotten-egg-smell/ is highly effective in removing contaminants such as manganese and iron. The system also oxidizes the hydrogen sulfide so that the water doesn’t smell again. The sulfide is actually transformed into a solid state so that it can’t dissolve in water. Once the water passes through the filter chamber, the solid sulfide is left behind. The system should be installed in the borehole so that the impurities can be eliminated before flowing through the pipes. This is because the contaminants can wear out the pipes. The other advantage is that the filter that sieves the contaminants is designed to be durable. It can actually last for more than a decade before calling for a replacement.

3. Aeration Method

This is another cost effective method of remedying a problem that’s caused by hydrogen sulfide. The system features an aerator, storage tank and a filter. From the well, the water is pumped into an aerator. It’s basically a chamber where pressurized air is pumped into the water. The process of aeration causes the contaminants that are present in the water to oxidize inside the chamber. The aerator tank needs to be cleaned regularly to ensure it’s not clogged by impurities. The water is allowed to settle in a separate tank for at least three days. From there, the water is passed through activated carbon filter.  The carbon filter usually absorbs all the hydrogen peroxide that might have made it past the aeration chamber. After filtration, the water is considered safe for human consumption and farming.