Smelly Water
If you’ve ever turned on your faucet to find a strong, smelly odor, then you’ve probably been alarmed. This smelly water can be concerning. Even if you’ve never experienced this personally, your mind is probably jumping to the worst conclusions possible. Possible contamination, sewage leaking into your water pipes – these are possibilities, of course. However, there are actually a number of reasons why your home might have smelly water. Each of these reasons has their own unique smell. By examining the different smells you will be able to decide how to best proceed in dealing with the problem.
Smelly Water Symptoms
1: Rotten Eggs
You might think that rotten eggs mean that organic material has somehow gotten into your water pipes. However, the real answer is much more mundane and less potentially dangerous. The most common cause of a rotten eggs smell in your smelly water is bacteria that give off sulfur. These bacteria are extremely common and won’t harm you or your family’s health. The only reason you notice the smell is because of a lack of oxygen in a water well. On rare occasions, there are chemical reactions between the sulfur and groundwater.
The best way to fix this problem is to call a professional to install an aeration system within your plumbing. This will pump dissolved oxygen into your water, which will combine with the sulfur and filter it out. The bacteria that causes this type of smell isn’t dangerous at all. Therefore, there’s no need to take more aggressive measures. Your water will no longer smell like rotten eggs.
2: Earth
If your water smells earthy, musty, or dirty, you might be surprised to learn that the smell almost certainly has nothing to do with actual dirt. Instead, the most common culprit is iron bacteria. Like the sulfur bacteria mentioned above, iron bacteria isn’t harmful to humans, feeding on iron when iron and oxygen mix. It produces a gross slime when alive and smells earthy when it dies. In addition, it can also result in nasty tasting, smelly water. Finally, it thrives in the high temperatures of your water heater.
Unfortunately, there are only a few ways to fight this bacterium. Installing a chlorine feed is one way, since chlorination will kill off these bacteria and prevent them from returning. There are also iron filters that will oxidize your water. These will filter out any iron particles that make your water heater a tempting place for iron bacteria to grow.
3: Fish
If your water smells fishy, the most common culprit is organic material at your water source. While this might sound scary, it is most likely harmless, since as long as your water goes through public works then it is treated with a variety of chemicals. These will neutralize the harmful bacteria that organic material can bring to your water. In fact, higher levels of some of these chemicals, such as chloramine, are one of the main reasons for a fishy smell.
Using water filters is the best way to deal with a fishy smell. You won’t be able to deal with the source of the smell directly. Getting a whole-house reverse osmosis filter will allow you to filter out the contaminants that cause the smell before the water hits your pipes. This is an effective way to manage the smelly water issue. If there’s still an off-putting taste, carbon filters will also help.
4: Sewage
One of the most unpleasant causes of smelly water is a sewage-like odor. This smell doesn’t necessarily indicate that your sewage lines have contaminated your water. In fact, it can be caused by a multitude of factors. One of the most common is bacteria growing in the food and soap buildup in your drains. The bacteria then gives off a gas that will float up into your faucet and give your water that nasty smell.
The best way to tackle this problem is to call a professional to investigate the source of the smelly water. In some cases, it might be bacteria in your drains, which you can clear up by pouring boiling water down the drain. Allow a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to froth and bubble for around 10 minutes. Then, follow with a potful of boiling water. This home remedy may be sufficient. However, if the smelly water problem persists, it could indicate more serious contamination. You’ll need to contact a water testing lab to find out what the contaminants are and seek a lasting solution.
