Sometimes the smell of water compels you to think who is there throwing the eggs in your well, but let me tell you, it’s no one. But then, why does the well water smell like rotten eggs? Before you look for other water resources, let me tell you that it is something that can be easily fixed.

You may be surprised to know that in most cases, rotten eggs are not found in groundwater, but it is the chemical reaction taking place that causes the well water to smell like rotten eggs. So, one possibility is that the smell coming from the well water is due to the chemical reactions.

However, it is not the only reason for your well water to smell, but there are a few other possibilities. For the problem to be fixed, we must determine its origin. Therefore, let’s first explore why it smells terrible in the first place.

What causes my well water to smell like rotten eggs?

The bad odor coming out of water indicates quality issues and whether it is safe to consume or not. It also points towards the presence of contaminants in well water.

There are no eggs to be found in the well, but the smell keeps on coming; it is because the rotten egg smell in well water is caused by the presence of sulfur elements or hydrogen sulfide. Now you might be wondering what sulfur has to do with rotten eggs.

For those who are not familiar with science, sulfur is a chemical element and is present in an abundant form on earth. Mainly it is used as a component of fertilizer, so it gives you an idea that it should not be there in the water that you drink.

Coming back to the topic, your well water smells like rotten eggs because sulfur elements are present in it. But the question arises, where does it come from in the well?

Well, there are a few options. First, it might be there naturally as a result of chemical reactions or decaying processes of soil and rocks. Secondly, it might be coming from sulfur bacteria present in groundwater, or the third possibility is that the gas is produced in the plumbing system or in the water heater.

Other than the bad odor, you can detect the presence of sulfur through several means. If there is sulfur in well water, it will cause corrosion, black stains on fixtures, and change the color of water if the concentration is high. Moreover, the slime produced by sulfur bacteria helps other bacteria to grow. So, it is necessary that you get the water treated as early as you can.

So now you know what causes the rotten egg smell in your well, but is there anything you can do to eliminate the smell? There are certainly things you can do. But first, get to know whether drinking smelly water is safe or not.

Is it safe to drink water that smells like rotten eggs?

There might not be any immediate danger, but who is out there thinking of drinking smelly water? Can you drink that? Don’t think so.

As we know, the rotten egg smell is caused by the presence of sulfur. It is not risky for health, but if consumed in high quantities, it may lead to dehydration, diarrhea, and other similar problems. So, it’s better to avoid drinking smelly water. Get your water tested and treat it accordingly.

What is the best way to remove rotten egg smell from well water?

It is easy to treat well water and get its smell out of it only if you know the source. What causes it and where the smell is coming from are the two factors that are going to define how the issue of smell is going to be resolved.

To check the source, turn on the cold water faucet to see if you can smell something. If there is no smell coming from the cold faucet, the problem may lie with your water heater. Or else, it can be groundwater or the plumbing system.

So how do you fix it? There are two scenarios: one is to fix the water heater, and the other is to solve the well water problem.

Changing or removing a magnesium anode is all that is necessary to fix a water heater. Other than that, you can apply a chlorine bleach solution and disinfect the water heater storage tank.

Similarly, if the problem lies within the plumbing system, disinfection can help remove the foul odor. There might be iron bacteria present in the lines; you need to remove them too.

In case the issue is with groundwater, there comes the water filter for help. There are a variety of filters available, and you must select a water filter for the well pump that is most suitable to fulfill the particular requirements.

Conclusion

Any kind of smell is unbearable in drinking water, and if it’s rotten eggs smell, you may start vomiting right away. We have experienced this, and to save you from this dreadful experience, we have done the research, and we see that the rotten egg smell in well water is caused due to the presence of sulfur.

We are not going to let you go without proposing a solution to this. Fix your water heater, disinfect the plumbing system, install water filters, and have safe and clean water to drink.