Well Water Has A Rotten Egg Smell At Times...

[Jaziel]

I purchased a house back in April 2013 and at the time I purchased a new filter and softener system for the house as the water had a strong rotten egg smell. A year later I had the issue with the hot water (rotten smell in hot water), and I resolved it by changing the anode rod every 6 months. Now two weeks ago I started getting the rotten egg smell in cold water only. I called the company that installed the systems and they did all the chemical tests in water and everything resulted in normal readings. So they recommended line chlorination because they said there might be bacteria growing in plumbing and it might be producing that rotten egg smell. Therefore, we agreed to try; but unfortunately 3 days after the chlorination the smell came back, but it came back even stronger. and again only the cold water. Then the next two days the water was fine without any smell and then it started all of a sudden. (Basically the smell comes and goes.) The strange thing is that I always go check outside to see if the water right after filter also stinks like rotten eggs, but it doesn't. The smell is only inside the house, on showers and sinks.

Thank you very much in advance.

 

[Reach4]

1. The blue thing (F) is a pressure tank so I presume you have your own well. Shallow well to a sand point, and a jet pump located next to the pressure tank maybe.
2. Are the black things on the left a brine tank (A) and a softener (B)?
3. The light tank (D) appears to be your H2S treatment filter. Do you know what media is inside? Is that a 9" x 48" tank or what?
4. The controller (E) only draws chlorine solution from bottle (C) only during regeneration? Is that regeneration at 2 AM every 3rd night scheduled to not occur during softener regeneration?
5. What is in the bleach bottle (C)? One cup of 6.25% chlorine bleach plus 3 pints of water? How long does the solution last before needing a refill? Does rain dilute the chlorine solution?

My suspicion is that your plumbing itself should be sanitized. Your well should be sanitized. You want to not over-chlorinate the resin in the softener. You don't want to over-chlorinate the septic system, which I presume you have. http://www.moravecwaterwells.com/index.php/maintainance/disinfection-and-testing is my favorite well and plumbing sanitizing method. I suggest you get some high-range chlorine test paper and some pH measuring paper that covers the area around 5 to 7 pH to help get your bleach and vinegar amounts right.

You want to paint all PVC pipe that sees the sun with black paint. Sunlight is not good for PVC. Also light passing into the pipe can promote algae.

I use a powered anode for my WH.

 

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[Jaziel]

Thanks for the promt response, yes it my own well and the first black container is where i put the salt in, then the other one its the softener. They told me D was a Carbon filter. (10"x 55"). the white bottle C was some other chemicle to clean filter.(Dont remember what chemical).

Now let me ask you, if there were to be something wrong with the softner or the well, would I get a rotten egg smell in "F"? Because every time I get the rotten egg smell inside of house I check the water in"F" and its crystal clear and it doesnt smell. And its only the cold water, not the hot. I have clorinated the pipes once and it only lasted 3 days normal

 

[Reach4]

That may be catalytic carbon. I have a Centaur Carbon filter for iron+sulfur (mainly sulfur smell) and it has been very effective. But it is in a basement and the well is a deep well with a submersible pump.

The fact that the sanitizing helped for 3 days is interesting. I would try sanitizing the well and plumbing again. I would bypass the softener during much of the time until the the chlorine level has fallen to maybe 20 ppm. I think that method with the flooding volume has merit. Does your well system have a way to circulate the water back to the well? That can be a problem with a one pipe jet system, such as a sand point, without a casing.

A more intense cure would be to add a chlorine injector before the pressure tank and a contact tank after. That would then feed to the carbon tank to remove the chlorine. That may be overkill for your needs. Overkill has its merits. Are you near Ocala, by chance?

 

[Bannerman]

the white bottle C was some other chemicle to clean filter.(Dont remember what chemical).

As you've owned the house now for 3 years, as you're not certain what is supposed to be in the bottle, what have you been refilling the bottle with?

Have you had a recent lab test completed on your water?

The translucent filter tank, as it is located outdoors and doesn't have a opaque jacket to reduce sun light exposure, maybe a source for algae or bacteria growth. If the white bottle is for chlorine or other light or temperature sensitive chemical, the open container and exposure to sunlight and other elements, maybe neutralizing the strength of the chemical.

 

[Jaziel]

Thanks for the feed back Reach4, I actually reside in Naples, FL. (Golden Gate Estates Area). I really don't know what type of pump I have. I am going to do a research on that tom.

And Bannerman, I have lived in this house for 3 years, but the white bottle was a one time thing and I never had to replace it; therefore, I never really remember what specific chemical they used to clean the filter. Now regarding the lab tests, I had called the company that installed the system and did all the lab tests: PH, iron, sulfur bacteria, hardness, etc and they were all negative; yet at the time the tech was also a little puzzled because he could actually smell the Rotten Egg Smell but in the sulfur water test always came back negative. The tech than stated that in those water test it wouldn't show a positive, if the Rotten Egg Smell was just in the form of GAS (H2S). And about the filter tank, I don't really think is translucent, but I am not an expert in this subject. The filter looks like if it was re wrapped so many times like with clear tape, yet I don't see the inside. Pardon my ignorance.

 

[Mikey]

FWIW, my raw water also has the rotten-egg smell, but tests negative for both H2S and iron reducing bacteria (IRB). Chlorination and carbon filter take care of it, whatever it is.

 

[ditttohead]

The bottle is likely either bleach or hydrogen peroxide. This method tends to work fairly well and is inexpensive. he bottle is a consumable and must be replaced regularly. Try bypassing the 10x54 system, if this alleviates the problem temporarily you may have a fouled media bed. You could oing a couple regenerations with the chemical replenished to see if that works. How hot is your hot water heater set to?

 

[Jaziel]

The bottle is likely either bleach or hydrogen peroxide. This method tends to work fairly well and is inexpensive. he bottle is a consumable and must be replaced regularly. Try bypassing the 10x54 system, if this alleviates the problem temporarily you may have a fouled media bed. You could oing a couple regenerations with the chemical replenished to see if that works. How hot is your hot water heater set to?

Thanks for the response Dittohead, I am sorry but I am new to this well systems issues. How would I by pass the 10x54 system?

 

[Bannerman]

How would I by pass the 10x54

Dittohead was referring to the filter tank on the right. Where the water lines (In & Out) connect to the control head, there should be a bypass valve control(s) there which will connect the inlet and outlet together so water will no longer flow through the filter.

As the filter tank is translucent, light will penetrate through the tank wall but as it is not transparent, you won't see clearly through it. A warm, sunny location can provide optimal conditions for growth of algae and bacteria within the tank's interior, especially when a disinfectant is not regularly utilized.

Any testing that the tech performed on-site, is not equal to a full lab test. On-site testing, while useful to establish the presence and quantities of certain elements, will not replace a full lab test which also tests for bacterial and chemical contamination safety in addition to the quantity of minerals. As you are responsible for the safety and treatment of your private well, you are your own municipality. It is advisable to have the water fully tested on a periodic basis.

 

[Jaziel]

Dittohead was referring to the filter tank on the right. Where the water lines (In & Out) connect to the control head, there should be a bypass valve control(s) there which will connect the inlet and outlet together so water will no longer flow through the filter.

As the filter tank is translucent, light will penetrate through the tank wall but as it is not transparent, you won't see clearly through it. A warm, sunny location can provide optimal conditions for growth of algae and bacteria within the tank's interior, especially when a disinfectant is not regularly utilized.

Any testing that the tech performed on-site, is not equal to a full lab test. On-site testing, while useful to establish the presence and quantities of certain elements, will not replace a full lab test which also tests for bacterial and chemical contamination safety in addition to the quantity of minerals. As you are responsible for the safety and treatment of your private well, you are your own municipality. It is advisable to have the water fully tested on a periodic basis.

Oh ok thanks, so are there some Labs that I can actually take the water for them to test? I thought that they only sold the well water exams at home depot and the exams the techs do when they come and check the water.

 

[Reach4]

Oh ok thanks, so are there some Labs that I can actually take the water for them to test?

I like kit 90 from http://www.karlabs.com/watertestkit/ It does not test for H2S numbers. You would need a specialized local lab for that. Your nose detects that effectively.

At night try shining a bright flashlight through the tan tank. I expect you will see the light.

 

[WellOff]

How are you disinfecting your distribution lines? Are you sure you're getting your solution everywhere? You have to get EVERY line, every faucet. Bacteria can hide in "back alleys" and then pull back in to the other lines.