Sulfur odor in the water

[Gem99ultra]

We're having a strange situation with sulfur odor - it's ONLY at our kitchen faucet and cold water only... it is not present at any other water outlet. Anyone have any ideas as to "why", and how to fix that?

I'm assuming that sulfur in the water is not harmful (?), but as a long time practice, all of our drinking/cooking water is filtered through charcoal filters that PUR sells that go on the faucet.

 

[s219]

It's hydrogen sulfide, and yes, it can only be noticeable in certain faucets (in our case it was one upstairs faucet and the fridge water dispenser). We put in a bleach injection system which took care of the problem. You can also use an aeration tank, which is a little more expensive and complex, but works well.

 

[techman]

Sulfur in the water is a common problem in certain areas. It is not unhealthy, some even imply that it can be a positive for health. Where you smell it will vary. Usually where the water is aerosolized will generate more smell. generally hot water, like a shower, will also liberate quite a bit of odor. Getting rid of it is generally not easy. I doubt that a simple filter will help much. Most sulfur elimination systems use oxidation to remove the chemical. One system uses a large (30-50 gal) tank in the water line. The tank has chlorine metered in, which causes the sulfur to precipitate. The other common system uses a mineral bed and looks like a small water softener. Potassium permanginate is used to regenerate the bed, which oxidizes the sulfur and filters the precipitate out. Backwashing flushes it out before the regeneration cycle.

paul

 

[oosik]

Hmmm----- I get this same condition during the summer months only. Worse in the hot water than the cold. My well is a spring and I'm sure the water comes from a different source in the summer as opposed to winter time. When I run the water for a couple minuets the smell will disappear so I've chosen to do nothing about it. I would guess its not harmful - been the same for the 32+ years I've been here and so far no ill effects.
I've put mine thru a PUR pitcher and it removes the odor. If your sulfur is really bad - a scotch & water will turn almost black.

Your well, like my spring, is getting water from a level where there is decomposing vegetation, most likely, and this will cause the odor. Only way to get rid of odor is activated carbon filters or develop an alternate source of water.

Odor only coming from one outlet ------ the type of plumbing(copper, plastic, iron) can have a lot to do with how strong the odor will be. The sulfur in the water will react with each type of material differently.

If the faucet attached PUR solves the problem and you have no odor at other faucets then finding an alternate source would be the overall solution.

 

[mikim]

My well has the H2s full time. My filter system (in order of piping) consists of: particulate filter, in-line chlorinator, carbon/green sand tank, softner, micro particulate filter, and overkill UV light. The UV is a "just in case" .. not really needed.
My rainwater filter system is much simpler cause it doesn't have the H2s nor hardness so it's just a micro filter followed by a UV light. It's my backup water supply. When we don't need it for the house we use it on the garden - unfiltered.

 

[Bigfoot62]

We're having a strange situation with sulfur odor - it's ONLY at our kitchen faucet and cold water only... it is not present at any other water outlet. Anyone have any ideas as to "why", and how to fix that?

I'm assuming that sulfur in the water is not harmful (?), but as a long time practice, all of our drinking/cooking water is filtered through charcoal filters that PUR sells that go on the faucet.

Very common here. If our water DIDN'T smell like rotten eggs, we would think something was wrong!

As s219 said, aeration is the best long-term fix. It works and once you purchase the air compressor and holding tank, you're done with the expense.

 

[HEC]

We had that same problem with an artesian well at our camp and had the water tested several times and always came back fine for drinking etc. .We just got used to it after time .

 

[s219]

Your well, like my spring, is getting water from a level where there is decomposing vegetation, most likely, and this will cause the odor. Only way to get rid of odor is activated carbon filters or develop an alternate source of water.

I've been told it's caused by bacteria in the water (a harmless bacteria) that emits the hydrogen sulfide as a byproduct of digestion. Similar to bacteria in your intestine that emits gas as food is digested. I guess people with really bad hydrogen sulfide smell must have the equivalent of 5-alarm bean chili in their well water for the bacteria to digest....

 

[dave1949]

Since a lot of food particles go down a kitchen drain, I sometimes notice a smell sort of like hyd. sulfide when turning on the kitchen tap. I think the water stirs up whatever was rotting in the trap and the smell rises up.

A good blast of hot water will clear the junk out of the trap and the smell goes away.

Just mentioning that as a remote possibility since you said kitchen only.

 

[5030]

Me, I don't care for chlorine injection (it's a known cancer producer). Much better and less invasive way to eliminate SO2 is H2O2 injection in the raw water line with a perastaltic pump like a Pulsa Feeder. You inject hydrogen peroxide into the raw water anywhere along it's route preferrably before any use points or HWH, add an inline filter to capture the precipitated sulfur dioxide (it goes from an entrained gas to a solid) and you are good to go.

We have had heavy sulfur water for years here. Sulfur liberated from water causes all sorts of problems with home electronics and electrical devices.

I use 35% food grade H2O2. Comes in 15 gallon carboys from Van Waters and Rogers. I cut the 35% with 4 gallons of distilled water to 1 gallon of 35%. Been doing that for at least 25 years now. It's simple, self contained and compact.

 

[Gem99ultra]

Hmmm----- I get this same condition during the summer months only. Worse in the hot water than the cold. My well is a spring and I'm sure the water comes from a different source in the summer as opposed to winter time. When I run the water for a couple minuets the smell will disappear so I've chosen to do nothing about it. I would guess its not harmful - been the same for the 32+ years I've been here and so far no ill effects.
I've put mine thru a PUR pitcher and it removes the odor. If your sulfur is really bad - a scotch & water will turn almost black.

Your well, like my spring, is getting water from a level where there is decomposing vegetation, most likely, and this will cause the odor. Only way to get rid of odor is activated carbon filters or develop an alternate source of water.

Odor only coming from one outlet ------ the type of plumbing(copper, plastic, iron) can have a lot to do with how strong the odor will be. The sulfur in the water will react with each type of material differently.

If the faucet attached PUR solves the problem and you have no odor at other faucets then finding an alternate source would be the overall solution.

Yep - the odor we notice is and has been, only during summer months, and then only during extreme drought conditions. We did a complete water test last week and found no bacteria, nitrite, nitrate, lead, chlorine, etc. contamination... zero.

Hopefully this is just a very occasional thing. I'd hate to think that we had to go to the expense and trouble of adding one of the several filtration systems mentioned here. However, the info and advice received here has been very reassuring and helpful.

 

[s219]

Me, I don't care for chlorine injection (it's a known cancer producer).

I find that hard to believe, since chlorinated water is used by public water supply systems all around the world, serving billions of people.

The chlorine levels needed to fix a hydrogen sulfide problem in well water are a fraction of what's used in public water supply. You don't really even smell/taste it like you would in city water.

 

[5030]

I find that hard to believe, since chlorinated water is used by public water supply systems all around the world, serving billions of people.

The chlorine levels needed to fix a hydrogen sulfide problem in well water are a fraction of what's used in public water supply. You don't really even smell/taste it like you would in city water.

Municipal water systems use chlorine intermixed with raw water to kill bacteria. All systems like discussed above use Bleach.... Sodium hypochlorite to liberate the SO2. Big difference. Sodium hypochlorite is a known cancer producing chemical compound when ingested.... aka: Clorox Bleach. Read the label sometime. It states 'not for internal use or consumption'.

 

[MotorSeven]

Sulfur in the water is a common problem in certain areas. It is not unhealthy, some even imply that it can be a positive for health. Where you smell it will vary. Usually where the water is aerosolized will generate more smell. generally hot water, like a shower, will also liberate quite a bit of odor. Getting rid of it is generally not easy. I doubt that a simple filter will help much. Most sulfur elimination systems use oxidation to remove the chemical. One system uses a large (30-50 gal) tank in the water line. The tank has chlorine metered in, which causes the sulfur to precipitate. The other common system uses a mineral bed and looks like a small water softener. Potassium permanginate is used to regenerate the bed, which oxidizes the sulfur and filters the precipitate out. Backwashing flushes it out before the regeneration cycle.

paul

This is the one we opted for as we had a really loud sulphur smell. The system installed by the well drilling company cost $1K and it has worked perfectly for almost 2 years with no odor at all. I understand that the minerals might need replacement around the 5 year mark...no biggie.

 

[5030]

I had a potassium permagnate system prior to H2O2. It went in a hole on the back 40. years ago. I've tried everything from settling/areation tanks to potassium permagnate and the H2O2 is the most turnkey system plus it remders the water bacterially inert.

 

[s219]

Municipal water systems use chlorine intermixed with raw water to kill bacteria. All systems like discussed above use Bleach.... Sodium hypochlorite to liberate the SO2. Big difference. Sodium hypochlorite is a known cancer producing chemical compound when ingested.... aka: Clorox Bleach. Read the label sometime. It states 'not for internal use or consumption'.

Chlorine used in water treatment is usually a hypochlorite, usually either calcium hypochlorite or sodium hypochlorite. It reacts with the water to form hypochlorous acid which is what kills bacteria/pathogens.

I did googling on sodium hypochlorite and cancer and turned up a bunch of stuff debunking myths, as well as a couple government pages like this:

Sodium hypochlorite: Carcinogenic Potency Database
Chlorine and cancer-cancer myth - Cancer Council Western Australia

As for the label and internal use/consumption, you sure wouldn't want to drink straight hydrogen peroxide either. That doesn't mean it isn't safe for other uses when diluted or mixed in low concentrations.

I don't mean to pick a bone, but I think it's misleading to suggest chlorinating water could cause cancer when it seems to be a myth. Especially since different forms of hypochlorites have been used to treat drinking water for decades, serving billions of people.

 

[5030]

Far as I'm concerned chlorinr ir still for bleaching dirty clothes. I'll stick with H2O2. Works well in my application and has for years. Go take a look at Hydrigen Peroxide on Goggle then report back....

 

[techman]

Far as I'm concerned chlorinr ir still for bleaching dirty clothes. I'll stick with H2O2. Works well in my application and has for years. Go take a look at Hydrogen Peroxide on Goggle then report back....

The level of chlorine to sanitize water is well below the level to have any effect on clothing. Ironically H2O2 will bleach clothing just line chlorine. Again the levels for sanitizing are too low to do anything to clothing.

With both bleach (sodium hypochlorite) and hydrogen peroxide, it is oxygen that does the sanitizing and bleaching.

paul

 

[gsganzer]

I had it really bad on the hot water side in our in-law apartment. I removed the water heater anode (and plugged it's hole, leaving it out), bleached the tank and haven't had an issue since. There's supposed to be a different type of anode (aluminum) you can use that lessens the problem when it's a hot water issue.

 

[Sysop]

Doesn't matter what you put in the water to treat it for A, B, or C. What matters is that you have filter medias X, Y and Z to remove those treatments as well. The system I have uses 99% pure chlorine, reaches 90+% oxidation in the retention vessel, and is 100% removed before entering the home.