sulphur in water

[copperhead46]

I had a well drilled a few months ago, and they had to go 175 feet to get to water, now I'm noticing a smell of sulphur. I know we can't get "rid" of it, but would a filter or something stop the smell at least in the kitchen so when I get a drink of water it doesn't knock me down
p.j.

[oneokie]

Activated charcoal undersink filter would do that.

[nikko]

we had a whole house filter done and it has worked like a charm...no more ickies!! no more smells!

[Mickey]

nikko, could you tell us more about your filter system? Do you have to replace filters and how often, how expensive?
TIA
Mickey

[littlebitfarm]

You might try chlorinating the well. The smell is probably coming from an iron bacteria and a little bleach will make it go away for awhile.

Kathie

[fishhead]

Originally Posted by littlebitfarm

You might try chlorinating the well. The smell is probably coming from an iron bacteria and a little bleach will make it go away for awhile.

Kathie

That's what I was going to suggest. We do water testing where I work and iron bacteria and sulfur smell are connected. Bleaching the well AND the plumbing system will sometimes eliminate the smell for a couple of years or more.

[littlebitfarm]

Since the the smell wasn't there initially, I assume it's not the water source. Some bacteria was probably introduced during the well drilling and it has had time to grow enough to make the smell.

Kathie

[agmantoo]

Is the smell stronger in the hot water than the cold water?

[copperhead46]

I have bleached the well a couple of times, but it just comes back with in a week. I do smell it when I'm taking a shower, don't know if it's from the hot or cold, I'll check and see if it is. I thought about the full house filter, but thats really expensive, maybe I can just put one under the sink where we get out drinking water.
How much bleach should I use, maybe I didn't use enough, I think I put 6 cups in, we could really smell it by the next day, but it didn't last for more than two days. I have a big holding tank in the basement, should I drain it?

[copperhead46]

Agmanto, the smell is there in the cold, but not so much in the hot, what does that mean???

[agmantoo]

Go here and read both pages and you will understand why I asked the question
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/lr/wate...urBacteria.pdf

[greif]

did you just pour it in or circulate it?

you need to circulate it by putting 3 gallons in the well and then take a garden hose and run hose for outside facet down thw well to clean the side walls of the well were the sulfar slim is.... do this for an hour then shut it off and run all your foucets in your house to clean the pipes.... run until no chorline smell is gone then a little longer

[Shepherd]

We have the same problem with high iron content in our water, causing the bad smell. We have 3 filtration systems to make the water more 'normal' but after a significant rain (or several) we can still notice it from time to time... and have to change filters a little more often.

[chickenmommy]

Down here we use an aerator to get rid of the rotten egg smell. It is worse after a heavy rain, but for the most part, the aerator takes care of it. See an example here

[Nevada]

Depends on how strong it is. When I was a kid we had a boy scout camp in the southern part of our Ohio county. The problem was that strip mining was getting close, disturbing the groundwater. The sulfur odor got bad fast.

I remember my parents talking to the scout master, remarking that they could smell sulfur everywhere at the camp. The scout master told them that it was no problem because they would hide the odor with cherry Kool-Aide. He promised that we couldn't even tell. Yeah right!

Fortunately for me they strip-mined right through the entire camp before the next summer season.

[tamsam]

OK word of warning. Being as you have a well I am do you have a septic system? if so just run the inside water at each facet until you smell the bleach. Then run the out side hose to pump the bleach out of the well. If you run all that bleach water into your septic system it will most likely kill the tank and you will have to have it pumped. Ask how I know. Learned the hard way and I think it was a 1500 gallon tank. Good luck getting rid of the smell. Sam
PS I know lots of people use a water softener.

[nikko]

the initial cost was about 1800.00. that was for an airator and whole house filter system. i bought a case of filters and i think it was about 50.00. they will last for quite a while. i think we are changing it every 4 months or so. we also use to see an increase in smell after strong storms....and if we used an inordinate amount of water in a day.(like leaving the hose on....lol)

havent smelled anything since it was done...oh, and they are charcoal filters i think....

[stirfamily]

We have a sulphur in our water too. Use a kinetico water softener. Pricey, but works really good. Doesn't taste like softened water and no smell.
Karen in NE Indiana

[copperhead46]

Thanks to all of you for the great suggestions. I'll be sure and not get too much chlorine in the septic. I didn't circulate the bleach when I used it before so, tomarrow, I'll do it the right way. I got some good ideas for getting air into the tank, or I'll see about the airator if the problem isn't iron bacteria. Its so great to have folks who take the time to help out with ideas and plans.
Thanks, P.J.

[fishhead]

You will need to chlorinate your entire water system (except the softener) or the iron bacteria will just spread out and re-infect your water system again.

Dump 2-3 gallons of bleach down the well. Run water to each outlet until you can smell chlorine. Shut off outlet. Do that to every outlet. Let sit for 8 hours minimum. The next day run you water out in the driveway or run it through a sprayer until the smell disappears. This could take 4-5 hours. Then flush each faucet until you no longer smell chlorine.