Solution to sulfur-bacteria in well water?

[Quattro Pete]

The joys of living on well water... it's been quite warm here this past week, which means massive snow thawing and rain. I suspect this massive surface water going down into the ground caused bacteria to get into the well as I've noticed rotten egg/sulfur smell in our water (both cold and hot).

I'm going to test the water for bacteria, but I'm pretty sure that's what's causing the sulfur smell. And if that's the case, what are my options to eliminate it? I know you can chlorinate the well, but that's just a temporary solution. Bacteria will probably come back.

A more permanent solution would be 1054 Ozone Iron Guardian with Catalytic Carbon, although pricey. I know there are also cheaper air injection (AIO) solutions available, but not sure if they're as effective.

Anyone had to deal with this? How did you handle it?

Thanks!

 

[Rob_Roy]

I installed an AIO system about 5 years ago and it has worked perfectly with no adjustments or repairs needed. Have your water tested by a local plumbing supply house and go from there.

If you want to DIY I had a good experience with ohiopurewater.com

 

[samven]

I guess it depends on the level of bacteria but I had this problem when I moved into my house that had set for 2 years unoccupied. I bleached my well. 2 gal of household bleach diluted in a 5 gallon bucket and poured down the sides of the casing. Let it sit for 2 hours then ran the water at all facets including the outside hose spigots until I smelled the bleach and let it sit again for 4 hrs. Ran the hose into the gravel driveway until bleach smell went away and flushed all facets. Smell was gone for 3 years. At first sign now I redo it with just 1 gal and have been good for the last 12 years with 2.5 to 3 year interval. Also fill a glass with water and see it you can smell it in the glass. One year I thought it was coming back but I only smelled it at the sink not a glass of water, found out my vent pipe got clogged up and it was from the drain.

 

[Cujet]

I have a shallow FL well, about 33 feet. There is a layer of limestone that the well driller did not want to drill through so instead of the 150 foot well I should have, I have a shallow one. So contamination is a constant issue. The best way I've found is to use 5 gallons of pool bleach, and separately, but at the same cleaning, muriatic acid. It is a very deadly combo, so best to do them separately. I have a fire pump nearby that I use to flow water/bleach back down the well. Prior to the fire pump, I'd mix up a 55 gal drum with 5gal pool bleach and siphon it down. Sits all day, then pump it out. The filth that comes out is EPIC.

Works for over year.

 

[BobsArmory]

I chlorinated my parents well. Worked. Just be careful with your drain field if you have one.

 

[loneryder]

It’s iron sulfur bacteria which is harmless but affects the taste and smell. I have a 140’ well here in WV that has a lot of iron in the water. I use a whole house filter in front of a Whirlpool water softener. Water tastes great. If I turn off the water heater when I leave town, it will stink and have to be drained first thing when I return. Try a water softener before you spend a lot of money. Yout skin and clothes will like you for it.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Try a water softener before you spend a lot of money. Yout skin and clothes will like you for it.

I should have mentioned that, but we already have a water softener that also removes iron. Been using it since last Fall when we built the house.

All was working fine up until a few days ago, when the water acquired that rotten egg/sulfur smell. From all I've read it's bacteria that got pushed into the well as a result of major thaw and rain we had here this past week or so.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Just be careful with your drain field if you have one.

Can you elaborate on this?

 

[Pablo]

Shallow well as well. We have a softener but that really doesn't do much for H2S (schtink) - that stuff needs a weak oxidizer. So before our softener we have an air injection tank bed. Low cost, lasts a long time. They used to use H2O2, permaganate, etc and such, but you really should not need that. Ask around locally.

 

[Quattro Pete]

I think my well is around 120-130 ft. I'm actually surprised the thaw would have affected it so quickly. Maybe it's unrelated...

 

[BobsArmory]

Can you elaborate on this?

When you chorinate your well you arre introducing high levels of chlorine. That kills the bacteria in the well which is a good thing. Now when you go to flush out the well and all your pipes, all that disinfectant can go into your septic and drainfield. You want bacteria in those areas. So what I try to do is flush the system as best as I can thru a garden hose outside so all that chlorine dosen't go into the septic.

 

[loneryder]

I should have mentioned that, but we already have a water softener that also removes iron. Been using it since last Fall when we built the house.

All was working fine up until a few days ago, when the water acquired that rotten egg/sulfur smell. From all I've read it's bacteria that got pushed into the well as a result of major thaw and rain we had here this past week or so.

Do you use softener cleaner regularly? And iron remover salt pellets?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Got a hold of the company that drilled the well. Apparently they chlorinated the well after they drilled it, and according to them that chlorination is only good for about 6-8 months, so that would align with my timing. Another words, nothing to do with warmer weather and snow melting.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Do you use softener cleaner regularly? And iron remover salt pellets?

Honestly, this is our first home with water softener system. I did not know I needed softener cleaner. The company that installed it didn't mention it. Doesn't it depend on the quality of water though if the cleaner is needed or not? Anyway, what specifically should I use and how often?

As for salt pellets, I'm using Morton Clean & Protect.

 

[loneryder]

Honestly, this is our first home with water softener system. I did not know I needed softener cleaner. The company that installed it didn't mention it. Doesn't it depend on the quality of water though if the cleaner is needed or not? Anyway, what specifically should I use and how often?

As for salt pellets, I'm using Morton Clean & Protect.

Loews, Home Depot and Amazon have the cleaners. Whirlpool is a good one. They recommend using every 3-4 months. Hopefully that solves your problem.
You are using good salt.

 

[BobsArmory]

Loews, Home Depot and Amazon have the cleaners. Whirlpool is a good one. They recommend using every 3-4 months. Hopefully that solves your problem.
You are using good salt.

I used to buy the cleaners at Lowes and other places, then I figured out that they are basically all very similar. I can't prove it but I would not be surprised if every commercial product comes from the same 1 or 2 suppliers. I found this product after doing some investigation. Res Care on Amazon Works great and a lot cheaper than most of those individual use bottles. The only drawback is that you have to measure out your own dose. (hint, keep an empty Whirlpool bottle nearby for dosing)

I use Morton clean and protect rust defense salt and add a dose of Res Care every 3ish to 5 months. Seems to work for my home. Not a fan boy of any product and I will not tell anyone what they should be doing since everyone's water can be drastically different from mine.

 

[loneryder]

I used to buy the cleaners at Lowes and other places, then I figured out that they are basically all very similar. I can't prove it but I would not be surprised if every commercial product comes from the same 1 or 2 suppliers. I found this product after doing some investigation. Res Care on Amazon Works great and a lot cheaper than most of those individual use bottles. The only drawback is that you have to measure out your own dose. (hint, keep an empty Whirlpool bottle nearby for dosing)

I use Morton clean and protect rust defense salt and add a dose of Res Care every 3ish to 5 months. Seems to work for my home. Not a fan boy of any product and I will not tell anyone what they should be doing since everyone's water can be drastically different from mine.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Delta]

Honestly, this is our first home with water softener system. I did not know I needed softener cleaner. The company that installed it didn't mention it. Doesn't it depend on the quality of water though if the cleaner is needed or not? Anyway, what specifically should I use and how often?

As for salt pellets, I'm using Morton Clean & Protect.

Realistically you shouldn't need a cleaner (I know that's possibly gonna spark a big debate). It's even recommended not to with the one I have. They do have an extra option for a fine mesh filter for heavy iron wells. Mine didn't need that, I get more sediment than anything due to the way my well head is. I clean out the brine tank if it ever gets cruddy, but I use the same salt pellets and have good results from them.

Every once in a while I do get the minor sulfur smell when it rains a lot in the Spring, but it's never too bad.

 

[repairman54]

Keep in mind chlorinating or bleaching the well with high iron water will make the iron ''rust''. Even with a iron filter system that reduces my water iron content to manageable I can't use any chlorine toilet cleaning tabs. Sandy ground with big whole house carbon filter in place also. Every now and then I get a sulfur smell in the hot water also.

 

[Pablo]

Keep in mind chlorinating or bleaching the well with high iron water will make the iron ''rust''. Even with an iron filter system that reduces my water iron content to manageable I can't use any chlorine toilet cleaning tabs. Sandy ground with big whole house carbon filter in place also. Every now and then I get a sulfur smell in the hot water also.

Maybe an air injection would be good for you as well