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Ejm
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# Posted: 8 Jun 2013 07:12am
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Does anyone have this problem? I had my first well put in 2 wks ago and the water stinks I pumped it out a few times and it still smells. I then read on line that it is called sulfur if someone has a way to get this smell to go away please share your ideas. I think I may need some sort of filter
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Martian
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# Posted: 8 Jun 2013 07:54am - Edited by: Martian
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Are you in luck! I've just finished shocking treating a well because of a sulfur smell. The smell is gone, but since its only been a couple of days, I don't know for how long.
Here's the procedure:
Get 3-4 gallons of common bleach.
Mix 1qt of bleach with 5gal of water and pour it into the well. Keep doing this until you run out of bleach.
Stick a hose in the top of the well and let it run for ten minutes or so to mix. Then, wait 20 minutes.
While waiting for the bleach to kill all the bacteria in the well, drain the water heater (turn off heating element first), pressure tank, toilet tanks.
Pump the bleach solution throughout the system. Open all faucets, inside and out, flush toilets, run showers, and don't forget the cold water dispenser on the refrigerator and icemaker, if you have them. Go ahead and remove the aerators and shower heads because they are going to get clogged.
When you smell the bleach, turn off the water and let it sit for 24 hours. Leave the water heater turned off.
Next day, flush the system until the bleach smell is gone, and change any filters you may have on the system.
This works to remove the smell IF your system smells like sulfur because of iron or magnesium bacteria. However, if your smell is caused by actually having sulfur in the water, a good charcoal filter might help.
Lack of use is the main culprit. Water sitting in the well, and lines, has a tendency to grow bacteria.
As an aside, about a week after you treat the well, add bacteria to the septic system since the bleach will have killed all the bacteria in your septic tank.
Tom
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Ejm
Member
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# Posted: 8 Jun 2013 09:39am
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Tom thanks for the reply this is a lot of helpful info, much appreciated! The only problem is it is a new well I am having the plumber come down in 3 weeks to set up all the plumbing. I am worried that when he hooks up all the pipes that smell will come in the cabin. It is a dug well it is 16 feet deep. I did add bleach to the well, but I'm worried that as I pump it out new water will come into the well with the same smell from the new ground water. I was thinking of a chlorine tablet like they use for pools. Please give me some ideas if anyone had the same problem.
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KSalzwedel
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# Posted: 8 Jun 2013 02:38pm
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Your driller may have some ideas. I was told to pumpmwater for 24 hours after my well was drilled. Shocking the well is next, having water tested and an expert filter system installed is all I am left with.
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larry
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# Posted: 8 Jun 2013 07:47pm - Edited by: larry
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i had a sulfur smell from my well. i used a in-line chlorinater at the well but down streem from the tank. in the cabin i have a carbon water filter that nuetralizes the chlorine so i can't smell or taste chlorine. and there is a added bonus,no rust stains in the toilet.
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Ejm
Member
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# Posted: 10 Jun 2013 09:16am
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Thanks Larry... I am going to try that out. Do you think it would work with it being done at the cabin rather then by the well? I can't get to my pipes they are under ground
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Dillio187
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# Posted: 10 Jun 2013 09:26am - Edited by: Dillio187
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like Tom said, the smell is from iron bacteria. My home has this problem too, it really sucks. This bacteria is what makes the slimy red coatings on your toilet, sinks, bathtubs etc. A shock treatment of chlorine will help, but you really need to keep up on it every year or it just keeps coming back.
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Martian
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# Posted: 10 Jun 2013 10:58am - Edited by: Martian
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Quoting: Ejm Thanks Larry... I am going to try that out. Do you think it would work with it being done at the cabin rather then by the well? I can't get to my pipes they are under ground
When I asked a plumbing company about adding a chlorinator to the system where we had the sulfur smell, they told me I would need to add a large storage tank, too. That was so the water would sit long enough for the chlorine to kill the bacteria. It was decided that I would just shock the well once a year.
Remember, if you are on a septic system, adding a chlorinator will reduce the efficiency of the system since chlorine will kill the bacteria that eat the solids.
Tom
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Malamute
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# Posted: 10 Jun 2013 11:20am - Edited by: Malamute
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I had this problem at a place I lived, otherwise the water was excellent. I had a treatment guy look at it, he said he could install an expensive chlorination system,...or I could just bleach the well every now and then. I think I ended up doing it every 3-4 months, maybe longer, whenever the smell came back. I just poured the bleach into the well, ran the outside hydrant til it smelled of bleach, then each inside tap or fixture, and let it set for a couple hours. I ran most of the bleach water out of the outside hydrant to minimize the amount of bleach going into the septic system. Run each tap or fixture out til it doesnt smell of bleach also. I added yeast to the septic, it seems to work well at keeping it healthy (I've never ever had one pumped).
The treatment guy also said that the copper annode rod in the propane water heater contributes to the smell, he suggested getting a stainless one. Copper plumbing will also affect it I believe. Seems to be more prevalent in the hot water than cold side in any event.
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wakeslayer
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# Posted: 10 Jun 2013 03:47pm
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We really need to do our home well once a year, but I only seem to get to it every other year. Will be shocking it this weekend I hope.
Works great.
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larry
Member
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# Posted: 10 Jun 2013 10:50pm
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ok, here's the deal. my well pump is 250 ft from point of use which give the chlorine time to work as it travels the pipe. once it gets to the cabin it is routed through a carbon filter that removes the chlorine which is only about 3 ppm (less than a swimming pool). at the tap there is no chlorine and none entering the septic tank. the set up i have is working, no rusty slime in the head & no sulfur smell in my water. it may not be to the specs of a water guru but im happy with the results.
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adakseabee
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# Posted: 10 Jun 2013 11:36pm
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I strongly urge all who have a problem with a sulfur (rotten eggs) smell in their well water, especially those who treat their water with chlorine to investigate treating the water with hydrogen peroxide instead of chlorine. There is literally no downside to using hydrogen peroxide while chlorine use adversely affects human health. Please review the following websites:
1. http://www.ellisonandellison.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=80:h202 wellwaterarticle&catid=38:waterqualityarticles&Itemid=41
2. http://www.essentialwater.net/
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Ejm
Member
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# Posted: 10 Jun 2013 11:36pm
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Hello all,
I was going to try shocking the well once a year, but since it is a dug well (16' deep) and I am dealing with ground water i dont thing it would have worked for me so I ended up going for broke. The wife wants no where near the cabin with smelly water. I am ordering some filters from Aquasana tomorrow. It was an arm and a leg, but they are giving me a 90 day trial if it doesn't work I could return it. I will keep you posted I hope this solves my problem. Thank you all for your knowledge and advice on this.
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