Why Does My Well Water Smell Like Sulfur?

Having good, clean potable water free of any odors will keep you and your family safe and healthy. If you believe your well water smells like sulfur, we’ll go over the causes and solutions for this issue.

What Causes Well Water To Smell Like Sulfur?

The reason why your well water smells like sulfur is because of hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S). There is a naturally occurring ion called sulfate that is in your water supply. The sulfate is nearly undetectable in moderate concentrations.

There can be some instances where it can turn into hydrogen sulfide, though. This can occur when the following happens:

• A result of chemical reactions and decay with the rocks and soil.
• There are high sulfur-reducing bacteria present in the water supply.
• Corroded magnesium or aluminum anode rod.
• Sulfur bacteria or chemical reactions occurring within water heaters.

Hydrogen sulfide gas is naturally occurring in some groundwater. Sulfur odor in well water is not pleasant and is usually formed from decaying plant material found in both shallow and deep wells.

How To Remove Sulfur From Well Water

To get the sulfur smell out of your well water, start by disinfecting the well and plumbing system using a strong chloride solution. You can either do this on your own or hire a professional company for this task.

In some cases, you may have to do some pre-work like scrubbing the well casing and applying some special treatment chemicals.

If the bacteria are present in the water softener or other treatment devices, you can reach out to the installer for help.

How To Tell If Your Water Contains Hydrogen Sulfide

Here are a few ways you may be able to tell that your water at home contains hydrogen sulfide:

• Smells like rotten eggs: Hydrogen sulfide will emit a foul odor that is most noticeable when the water is first turned on or when hot.
• Foul taste: The water likely contains hydrogen sulfide when it tastes quite bad.
• Stains: Yellow or black stains on your kitchen could indicate the presence of hydrogen sulfide.
• Tarnish: Hydrogen sulfide is most likely the reason your cookware or silverware is tarnished.
• Corrosion: Corroding of steel, brass, and iron can indicate hydrogen sulfide.

Is Sulfur Well Water Safe To Drink?

This will depend on exactly how much hydrogen sulfide or sulfate is actually in the water. Most likely, you will not experience any serious health issues unless they’re discovered in very high concentrations.

In high concentrations, hydrogen sulfate can result in eye irritation, diarrhea, and nausea.