The smell of hydrogen sulfide in the water from the well. The smell of hydrogen sulfide near the water from the well, what to do? Where does hydrogen sulfide come from in the well?

The source near the house must be clean - this is its main quality. Pollution is evidenced by the smell of hydrogen sulfide in the water from the well, it resembles the stench of rotten eggs, swamps. Infection with bacteria and dangerous substances occurs. Hydrogen sulfide water is dangerous for internal use. There are several ways to solve this problem.

Characteristics and harmfulness of hydrogen sulfide

The chemical in question is a colorless, toxic gas that has a sweetish taste with a rancid odor. chicken eggs, swamps, rotting. It is a combination of hydrogen and sulfur and is created by anaerobic bacteria inside an oxygen-deprived environment during the decomposition of organic matter. Large concentrations of hydrogen sulfide are poisonous, and in addition, it is flammable.

Resources of healing natural sources, saturated with a minimum amount of this substance, are sometimes used by medicine (balneology). But this does not apply to sources for everyday use. If water with hydrogen sulfide is found inside the well, the danger increases, as this signals the processes of decay, the reproduction of bacteria, and contamination by foreign decaying biological objects.

It is strictly forbidden to drink hydrogen sulfide water or use it for domestic purposes. It is fetid, has a disgusting taste and poses a serious threat to health.

Consequences of contact:

there is a risk of suffering not only from the chemical itself, having earned acute poisoning, but also to become infected with pathogenic bacteria
the solubility of hydrogen sulfide in water is low, it escapes from it, spreading around. Prolonged breathing with them will lead to a critical deterioration in health up to a coma with a fatal outcome.
signs of poisoning: fatigue, mental disorders, dizziness, headache, vomit. With prolonged contact - decreased visual acuity, loss of consciousness, convulsions, pulmonary edema, respiratory arrest and death
the receptors of the organs of smell and taste are paralyzed, over time a person ceases to feel the gas, but the danger remains;
contact with the body is fraught with skin diseases up to its death
the effect on nature is detrimental - the fish dies due to intoxication, the same thing happens to plants, so it is not advisable to water them with such a liquid
when it enters the body, iron is oxidized (oxyhemoglobin appears), the blood turns black. Delivery of oxygen to tissues is difficult

Hydrogen sulfide in well water causes rapid metal corrosion, destroying pipes, valves, well and pump elements, and plumbing. This creates a residue that clogs them.

Features of the problem

That is why the water from the well smells of hydrogen sulfide: the oxidation of sulfur compounds occurs, as well as the process of conversion of sulfates and sulfides by sulfur bacteria. There is a whole list of other harmful substances (dimethyl sulfide, mercaptans). Bacteria are anaerobic - they live where there is no oxygen. For this reason, the water in the well smells of hydrogen sulfide if there is silt at the bottom of an uncleaned source, and also if the aquifers are clogged with rocks.

The patterns of occurrence of the problem by types of wells are as follows:

, "on limestone" (deep). More susceptible than others, as they have limited access to oxygen, they are more densely covered with waterproof soil;
wells (shallow). Polluted during floods or heavy rainfall when organic matter seeps into the soil.

Sources are often polluted precisely in industrial areas, districts and cities that are built near deposits of ores with sulfides.

Causes

Hydrogen sulfide water is formed under the following conditions:

siltation of the bottom and walls of pipes when the source has not been cleaned for a long time
ingestion of biological objects
clogged aquifers (common in deep wells)
loss of tightness of the casing, which leads to the ingress of sulfite bacteria
during drilling, a layer with sulfide ores was caught
prolonged or heavy rainfall, floods that saturate aquifers with organic matter and chemicals that serve as food for bacteria
ingress of sulfur compounds during the source device
industrial pollution.

Determining the level of contamination

To find out if the amount of hydrogen sulfide emitted and the nature of its appearance is dangerous, you need to take samples and take them to the SES for analysis.

Information will be obtained about its level, types of bacteria, viruses, which will make it possible to more clearly determine how to purify water. Checking is recommended to be done periodically for prevention, even if there is no smell.

The rate of dissolved hydrogen sulfide should not exceed 0.03 mg/l.

Selection of the analyzed material

Samples are taken in plastic bottles from pure mineral water. Before set, the tap is opened for 10 - 15 minutes. The bottle is filled to the cap so that there is no air underneath. For a more thorough sampling, a special sample preservative is used.

For microflora studies, only glass containers are used. In this case, you can not touch her neck with your hands.

Samples must be delivered no later than 2 hours after they are taken and immediately sent to work, so this should be agreed in advance. If the content of the substance is exceeded and the water from the well smells of hydrogen sulfide, what to do in this case is determined based on possible causes its appearance according to the data from the laboratory.

cleaning

It is advisable to conduct a study to determine the cause and properly purify water from hydrogen sulfide. Next, there are several options.

Well treatment

The standard methods are:

removal of silt and deposits on the bottom, pipes, system elements. They contain magnesium and iron, which bacteria feed on. This should be done periodically every 1.5 - 2 years
pumping with the removal of a layer of sand and clay. After that, coarse gravel or crushed stone is poured to the bottom, which serves as a natural filter.
casing sealing or replacement

Degassing

If the water smells of hydrogen sulfide, then it can be settled in containers, since it is a volatile substance, and when it encounters oxygen, aerobic sulfur bacteria die. But it is more efficient to use special devices - degassers, so the liquid will be cleaned even in the pipes on the way to the water intake points in the house. At the same time, acidification is also carried out.

Types of degasifiers:

non-pressure. This is a large open plastic container, water enters it through spray nozzles, “showering” occurs - oxygen saturation. The tank, together with a compressor pumping air or without it, is installed under the roof of the building to form a gravity system;
pressure. More comfortable. Has a smaller volume, works faster. It is equipped, in addition to the compressor, with a special pump that pumps water. It can be placed anywhere, including basements, plinths.

Pressure degassing plant

Aeration is beneficial to the human body, even if the well resources are clean. Pre-oxygenation is often carried out to improve the properties of the source

Installation and process of aeration by pressure equipment:

A caisson is being built or a recess is being made near the pumping station or elsewhere
An aerator with a compressor and a pump is placed in the prepared place.
Water enters a closed tank, which has a valve to release the removed gas
Oxygen is pumped inside, which helps remove hydrogen sulfide

After oxygen oxidation, catalysts must be used to form insoluble compounds. The following substances are commonly used:

activated carbon
magnetite, graphite
manganese sand. The danger of manganese compounds is that their salts appear, which must be removed.
potassium permanganate (forms colloidal sulfur)

The use of filters with double regeneration and the continuous addition of potassium permanganate is the most effective: a precipitate of manganese hydroxide is formed, which, in turn, works as a coagulant and adsorbent - a double benefit is obtained.

Chemical processing

In its process, oxidation is provoked not by oxygen, but by other substances: hydrogen peroxide, ozone, sodium hypochlorite. In this case, an insoluble precipitate is formed, which is stopped by filters with active reagents. This method is also used at the scale of urban pipelines.

The safest is hydrogen peroxide, which forms insoluble sulfur, which is removed through a carbon filter. This will help get rid of the smell completely. Ion exchangers are also used to accelerate oxidation processes.

After chemical treatment, the liquid must undergo additional filtration from sediment and for recovery useful properties. For this, reverse osmosis is used.

Sorption catalytic filtration

Purification from hydrogen sulfide is carried out with reagents that accelerate the oxidation process, collect and neutralize harmful substances: preparations from activated or hard coal, silicon, shungite, various sorbents. They are placed in special capsules that are attached to taps or pipes. Blocks with them periodically need to be changed or washed.

Such filters are used when the water is hydrogen sulfide and not contaminated with other bacteria, as well as after disinfection, if pathological microorganisms are found. In addition to the sorbent, there must be oxidizing agents. They are not very effective against serious contaminants, since they are intended only for fine cleaning. They are used in complex solutions together with other devices.

Hydrogen sulfide filters and sorbents are necessarily used together with pressure-type aeration to saturate water with oxygen

water heater

Sometimes a bad smell appears only after turning on the heater. This means that deposits have formed on the surface of the heating elements, in which sulfate-reducing microorganisms multiply. These elements must be thoroughly rinsed, and a filter with a sorbent must be installed on the supply pipes.

iron removal

There are 5 different iron compounds contained in the wells. If they are found, iron removal is performed - reagents are used that convert this element into a precipitate that is filtered out. Filters with several sections are installed on the incoming pipes, with oxidizing internal surfaces and elements that collect sediment.

It is important to clearly define what kind of chemical compound is present for correct selection a sufficient dose of reagent to it

The most effective integrated solutions for the removal of hydrogen sulfide from water are modular cleaning systems, consisting of aeration columns, oxidation units, sorption elements for fine cleaning.

Overall installations with settling tanks are also used. Then the procedure will go through all possible stages.

If the water in the well smells of hydrogen sulfide, you should not tolerate and ignore this phenomenon. The appearance of unpleasant odors is most often the cause of contamination of the aquifer, which is desirable to be eliminated as soon as possible. Well, if elimination is impossible, then at least take measures to purify the water and bring its main parameters to standard values.

In our article, we will describe what may be the reason for the appearance bad smell and what should be done in such a situation.

The nature of the phenomenon

Main reasons

Quite often, after drilling is completed, the well works perfectly: the water is clean, without impurities and odors. This usually indicates that the instructions were followed and all work was done to a high standard.

However, over time, water quality deteriorates. Most often, this manifests itself in an unpleasant smell (smells like a “swamp” or rotten eggs), which intensifies over time, and becomes unbearable from almost imperceptible. In most cases, this indicates a high content of hydrogen sulfide.

As a rule, it is released as a result of the activity of anaerobic (i.e., living in an oxygen-free environment) bacteria. In the process of life, they use the energy of chemical bonds, and hydrogen sulfide is one of the by-products of this process.

Note!
In addition to hydrogen sulfide, bacteria also secrete mercaptans, dimethyl sulfide, 2-methylisoborneol, etc.
None of these substances can boast of a pleasant smell.

There can be several answers to the question why the water from the well smells of hydrogen sulfide:

First, most often an outbreak of sulfur bacteria occurs after heavy rains and floods. Water, filtering through the layers of soil to the aquifer, captures sulfides and sulfates, which are a nutrient substrate for bacterial cultures.
Secondly, this happens when the tightness of the casing string is violated. In this case, sulfur compounds will get into the water much faster - even a little rain will suffice.
Thirdly, there is a risk of sulfur ores getting into the well during drilling. However, in this case, you will feel the smell pretty quickly.

Note!
If, in addition to sulfur, oil products or chlorine are also added to the smell, then we can confidently speak of man-made pollution.
This means that some enterprise carried out an uncontrolled disposal of waste relatively close by, and some of it ended up in the aquifer.

Possible consequences

As we noted at the very beginning, you should not endure in any case:

Water smelling of hydrogen sulfide is unsuitable for drinking, cooking and technical needs. Not only does it have a very unpleasant odor - its use can lead to poisoning.
Watering the area with such water is also not worth it. On the one hand, there is a risk of inhaling hydrogen sulfide vapors (intoxication is practically guaranteed), on the other hand, uncontrolled ingress of sulfur compounds into the soil can seriously damage plants.
For the well itself, the situation also does not pass without consequences: the surface of most metal parts is subjected to severe corrosion.

In any case, this situation requires immediate correction. What you can do if you smell a distinct smell of hydrogen sulfide in your well water is discussed in the next section.

Preliminary processing

You can cope with the problem with your own hands, but it is still better to involve those who performed the drilling and well construction in the first stages in solving the problem. If the warranty has not yet expired, it is quite possible that both consultations and some work will be carried out free of charge.

First you need to put in order the well itself:

Since microorganisms that produce sulfur compounds show particular activity with an excess of magnesium and iron in water, it is worth cleaning the walls and bottom of the well from deposits. In most cases, this solves the problem for at least one and a half to two years.
It also does not hurt to perform pumping, removing the bottom deposits of clay particles and sand. Since this is where the colonies of sulfur bacteria are located, when pumping, we will eliminate their bulk.

Separately, it is worth taking care of the tightness of the casing string. There may even be a need for a complete renovation. Expensive, of course, but you have to go for these expenses - the price of a new well in any case will be much higher.

When all these activities are completed, you can proceed directly to removing the smell from the water.

physical method

The first cleaning method is physical. It consists in displacing hydrogen sulfide from water with the help of air.

To implement this method, we will need a special device - an aerator:

In a pit, caisson or other room, we install an aerator with an attached pump.
Water from the well enters a hermetically sealed container with a tap and a gas outlet valve.
Under the action of the pump, air is forced into the device, which displaces hydrogen sulfide. In this case, an excess of oxygen in the water leads to the death of sulfur bacteria.
An additional plus in this case is the enrichment of water with dissolved oxygen, which in itself benefits the human body.

Advice!
Some methods provide for the preliminary acidification of water, which also leads to more efficient purification.

This method is not without drawbacks. The main disadvantage is the bulkiness of the equipment, the need to purchase a separate aeration pump, as well as the energy intensity of the entire system.

Chemical

An alternative to aerating well water can be its chemical treatment.

At the same time, to remove hydrogen sulfide impurities, the following can be used:

Ozone.
Hydrogen peroxide.
sodium hypochlorate.
Carbon filters.

Most often, the process of preparing for operation is carried out as follows:

Water enters a separate container.
An oxidizing agent is supplied to the tank.
Hydrogen sulfide is oxidized to insoluble compounds that precipitate.
The treated liquid passes through a filter, where it can also be softened and enriched with useful minerals.

A variation of the chemical method is sorption-catalytic purification. At the same time, a catalyst is fed into the water, which accelerates the process of oxidation of sulfur compounds. Activated carbon acts as a sorbent, which accumulates insoluble sulfates and thiosulfates. Over time, the adsorbent blocks need to be replaced, as the pores in the coal fill relatively quickly.

Output

Hydrogen sulfide-smelling well water can be treated in several ways. However, in order to save money and guarantee positive result, before starting work, it is necessary to establish the nature of the contamination as accurately as possible.

Only in this case we will be able to effectively plan all activities and choose an effective cleaning method. The procedure is shown in more detail in the video in this article, so study it carefully to find answers to your questions.

The smell from the source is caused by the presence in it of an excess concentration of hydrogen sulfide, iron compounds, ammonia. They then accelerate the process of rust on all metal that is in the well. In this case, the development of sulfur bacteria, which lead to a nauseating stench, takes place. These bacteria reduce sulfur salts (sulfides, sulfates) dissolved to the state of hydrogen sulfide.
It is known that 0.05 mg / liter of hydrogen sulfide gas gives bad moisture. In an aerated liquid, such a "flavor" is not felt. It is not dangerous when taken internally. The fact is that toxic effects on the body are also not established.

By the way, the threshold of permissible concentration within 0.03 mg / liter already coincides with the threshold of perception of taste and smell of a person.

But sulfides, into which hydrogen sulfide is converted, are recognized as dangerous. They affect the mucosal part of the intestinal tract, with symptoms of vomiting and abdominal pain.

There is also evidence of signs of heart disease, the cause of which is all the same sulfur compounds, especially sulfides.

The concentration of hydrogen sulfide in wells, including deep ones, can be traced in cases where the wellbore enters the horizon of sulfide manifestations. And such pools of underground sources contain a large amount of sulfur salts. Removing them, taking into account some features, involves:
Elimination of iron salts from water just taken from the well. A specific smell of rust appears a little later, after the entry of moisture into the reaction with atmospheric oxygen.
Eliminate odor ammonia, which indicates the presence of ammonia compounds in it.

Bad breath can be caused by:
- chlorine compounds, often used in systems for the removal of bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms. Well water subjected to chlorination can act as a pathogen limiter.
- organic matter giving a musty or earthy smell;
- mineral components, which also add a soda or salty taste to the moisture;
- manganese salts also change the smell of water.
Despite the undesirability of drinking such a "fragrant drink", nevertheless, it is also used for food. One can argue about the taste of such a dinner.

Bad smell from the well is not uncommon. And their source is the life and activity of innumerable bacteria. Their decomposition is the soil for saturating the source with hydrogen sulfide.
A similar "incense" can cause a high concentration of manganese (more than 20 mg/l).
Swamp or rotting stench from a well also comes from bacteria and organic constituents.
The specific and, at the same time, habitual smell of iodine is a very serious phenomenon. The reason for this is the effluents of industrial enterprises that penetrate into the soil layers and feed the well. Iodine releases the poisonous element phenol, which disrupts the work nervous system. Drinking such a "drink" is strictly forbidden.

So, water, in practice, is not found pure, since it contains all kinds of dissolved microorganisms and mechanical substances. Some of them, not being harmful to health, by themselves, in combination with some chemical elements, can have a very serious effect on a person.

Autonomous water supply on site. of course, a very convenient thing. However, the quality of water from a well or well has to be monitored independently. Many people believe that if you drill a deep enough well, then the water will definitely be clean. Often, their confidence ends the moment they notice that the tap water smells of hydrogen sulfide.

In fact, the presence of hydrogen sulfide, iron, salts of heavy metals and other harmful impurities in well water is a fairly frequent phenomenon and, moreover, not the most harmless

It is worth knowing why the water in the well gets the smell of hydrogen sulfide, and learn how to fix this problem.

What is hydrogen sulfide and why is it dangerous?

Hydrogen sulfide is a gas; when dissolved in water, it gives it an unpleasant smell, similar to the smell of rotten eggs. Of course, the taste of such water will also not differ in positive sensations. This gas is formed during the life of anaerobic bacteria that multiply without the participation of oxygen. Hence the smell of decaying organic matter.

It is unlikely that anyone will drink foul-smelling water - this is a clear sign that it is dangerous to health.

Sulfur bacteria live everywhere, they do not need oxygen. Therefore, they can often be found at the bottom of a well that has not been cleaned for a long time, as well as in wells at great depths, in aquifers, covered on all sides by waterproof soil. Thus, hydrogen sulfide is found most often in deep artesian wells.

The highest concentration is obtained in the following cases:

In wells and boreholes on sand on days of floods or heavy rainfall, when organic matter, together with storm water, seeps into the ground;
In wells that have been drilled into a seam with sulfide ore.

It is worth remembering that cities were most often founded just in the area of ore occurrence, and therefore wells with a characteristic smell are found precisely in industrial areas.

As soon as the well loses its tightness, sulfide bacteria leave it.

So why is water with impurities of this gas so dangerous? The fact is that hydrogen sulfide is suffocating, poisonous and very volatile. Its smell quickly spreads throughout the room and, in the absence of ventilation, can cause acute poisoning and other unpleasant consequences. It is also dangerous for plumbing, as it has a high corrosive activity. If hydrogen sulfide is present in your water, use plastic pipes.

Ways to purify water to get rid of hydrogen sulfide

There are several types of water treatment that should be considered when arranging a well and conducting water supply to a house. They will require the installation of special devices in the house.

First, you need to do in the lab complete analysis water from its source to determine what impurities it contains.

Physical method of water purification

Hydrogen sulfide as a gas quickly evaporates. If you pour water saturated with it into a bucket or basin and leave it for a while, the gas will eliminate itself. However, we are accustomed to using taps where the water does not have time to settle. A degasser is used to weather the hydrogen sulfide before water enters the pipes. In a non-pressure installation, it is a leaky plastic tank, where water is supplied through special sprayers. In the process of supplying water to the tank, the water is saturated with oxygen, which destroys the sulfur bacteria contained in it. Then, in the process of settling, the remains of bacteria leave the water themselves. To speed up this process, special oxygen compressors can be installed.

The pressurized degassing plant is characterized by supplying water from below and saturating it with oxygen using pumps.

Aeration system for the release of water from hydrogen sulfide

Chemical method of water purification

This method is also based on the oxidation of water, but in this case it occurs due to the use of ozone, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite. Oxidation gives insoluble compounds - sulfur, sulfates, thiosulfates, which are screened out when passing through a filter with a granular load.

Sorption-catabolic method of water purification

This method is used in conjunction with pressure aeration and is attractive in that it allows you to accelerate the oxidative reaction in water. The most effective sorption substance here is granular activated carbon.

Sometimes the smell of hydrogen sulfide comes only from hot water. This is a signal that it is time to clean the boiler from salt deposits, which are a suitable environment for the development of sulfur bacteria.

So, now you know that the purification of water from the smell of hydrogen sulfide should occur by eliminating the cause - anaerobic sulfur bacteria. This must be done in order to be sure that the quality of the water you drink does not threaten your health.

Three Wells Company reminds you that the installation of a treatment system is often a necessary solution in the process of organizing autonomous water supply in your house.

Undoubtedly, autonomous water supply has a number of advantages over centralized water supply. But no matter what happens, you have to take care of the well yourself. Owners of private houses are often faced with a situation where the water from the well begins to smell of hydrogen sulfide. Not everyone knows what to do under such circumstances.

But the problem is not only that drinking water stinks and becomes unpleasant in taste. It is possible that it is simply dangerous to use it. We will look at the reasons why the water in the well can acquire an unpleasant odor, and also talk about ways to eliminate it.

The bad smell of tap water in itself is unlikely to please anyone. But the problem is that drinking it is not only unpleasant, but also risky.

Where does the musty smell come from?

Hydrogen sulfide is a chemical compound of sulfur with water, which is a colorless gas with the smell of rotten eggs and a sweetish aftertaste. It can combine with many metals, is poorly soluble in water, is flammable, and poisonous in high concentrations.

Hydrogen sulfide occurs when proteins rot in an aquatic environment in the absence or low oxygen content as a result of the activity of anaerobic bacteria. The deeper your well, the higher the chance of an unpleasant odor coming from the faucet. Its source may be:

aquifers containing ores interspersed with sulfur and deprived of oxygen;
silt-covered walls and bottom of an uncleaned water well;
containing organic matter ground water that got into the water supply due to damage to the casing and began to decompose without oxygen;
pollution of groundwater, for example, by oil products.

It should be noted that the hydrogen sulfide smell in an artesian well occurs often. For it to appear in an ordinary well, something extraordinary must happen, for example, man-made pollution.

Water is needed in the country, in the garden or in the garden throughout the warm period, but not everywhere there is a main ...

The harm of hydrogen sulfide to the human body

Most people from school chemistry class remember only that hydrogen sulfide is a volatile gas with the smell of rotten eggs. But does everyone know about its health risks?

Air with even a small amount of hydrogen sulfide provokes nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue and headaches.
A significant accumulation of gas can first cause inflammation of the eyelids, then pulmonary edema, convulsions, fainting, coma and, as a result, lead to death.
High saturation of the air with hydrogen sulfide vapors can cause rapid death even with a single inhalation.

It is very important to know that gas quickly ceases to be felt, as it paralyzes the olfactory nerve. The smell of the swamp disappears, malaise and dizziness can be attributed to fatigue or other causes, and the toxin continues to act on the body. If the case is in the well, turn off the water, be sure to ventilate the room and begin to find out the causes of unpleasant odors.

Separately, we note that neither bathing nor washing dishes with water with a high concentration of hydrogen sulfide is possible in order to avoid allergic reactions and causing other harm to the body.

Is it possible to use stale water for technical purposes

Do not use a liquid smelling of rotten eggs for household needs. Water saturated with hydrogen sulfide causes metal corrosion. All pipes and instrument parts made of steel that come into contact with liquid become rusty and wear out quickly. Using it even for technical purposes can be very expensive for the owners.

Perhaps your garden has plants planted that cost far more than the likely losses from repairing pipes and pumps, and they urgently need to be watered. This can only be done if there is an automated irrigation system. In contact with air, hydrogen sulfide undergoes a kind of aeration, and dangerous bacteria will die before they can harm your plantings. And if you are going to water the garden or garden manually, remember that the smell of hydrogen sulfide in the water from the well indicates the presence of compounds dangerous to humans. Poisoned air saturated with moisture can cause significant harm to health when it enters the lungs.

Causes of bad odors

Hydrogen sulfide in well water can be just a nuisance that is easy to get rid of, or it can require significant material investments. Sometimes you even have to equip a new plumbing.

Let's take a look at the three ways in which foul-smelling water occurs, but first read the next two paragraphs carefully.

What to do first

Before you figure out why the water from the well smells of hydrogen sulfide, be sure to take it to laboratory analysis. It is necessary to find out the concentration of the toxic substance and the possibility of using water for surface cleaning. After all, not everyone can afford to move to another place while the problem is being eliminated. In addition, it is possible that the water contains some other harmful impurities that do not smell so “expressive”.

Generally speaking, for the owners of an individual water supply, the annual procedure for handing over water for analysis should become mandatory and familiar.

Wrong location for the well

It may happen that the well was built in an aquifer immediately adjacent to a sulfur-bearing ore bed. Another option is that the mine layer is located above the aquiclude, and during drilling, rock containing sulfur fell into the well.

The water smells of hydrogen sulfide from the moment the well is put into operation, and since getting rid of the smell is vital, the situation will be corrected immediately. But usually it doesn’t come to this, and the fact that the water from the well smells like a swamp is found at the time of pumping after drilling.

If you want to foresee such a situation in advance, ask if there are (and have been) mineral deposits in your area. These do not have to be sulfur deposits - it often accompanies ores, oil and gas in small quantities. Not a single development exhausts the deposits completely, and a small amount of rock is enough to spoil the smell of water from your well.

A production well for water is a must for country house in which they live all year round. Often...

Only hot water smells bad

Sometimes rotten smells appear only when turned on. hot water. In this case, it is easiest to eliminate the source of stench, since its cause is microorganisms that develop on salt deposits in a column, boiler, boiler.

To eliminate an unpleasant odor, it is enough to remove scale and carefully rinse the equipment. To prevent the situation from happening again, install a filter at the water inlet to the water heaters.

Cold water smells like hydrogen sulfide

The most unpleasant situation is when the smell of rotten eggs appears when you turn it on. cold water. There may be several reasons for this, namely:

the casing has lost its tightness;
heavy rainfall caused organic-rich groundwater to enter an aquifer used for water abstraction;
technogenic poisoning of groundwater;
sludge contamination of the walls of the intake pipe and the bottom of the source.

It is the elimination of odors of this origin that requires the most funds and efforts, and we will dwell on them in detail.

Ways to purify water from the smell of hydrogen sulfide

Only after you do, you can start activities aimed at purifying the water. First of all, you need to find out the reason why it began to smell like rotten eggs, because it is possible that the casing string is damaged, and installing filters is a waste of money. It is best to entrust the verification to the agency that did the well.

Casing depressurization

If the casing is cracked or otherwise damaged, any repair can be said only if it is made of black or stainless steel. There can be no talk of any restoration of a plastic or asbestos-cement structure. You should not even try to restore a galvanized or enameled casing string.

You may need to weld, replace part of the pipe, or even drill a new well. Solve this issue together with a qualified specialist.

Household water treatment

It is good when, in addition to autonomous water supply, there is an ordinary well in the yard. From it you can draw water for domestic needs or, if necessary, water especially valuable plants so that they do not die until the water supply works. In addition, well water is almost never contaminated with hydrogen sulfide.

But what if you only have a well? Do not run with buckets to the neighbors. You can remove the musty “aroma” from a small amount of water yourself.

The easiest way is to let the water stand outside. Upon contact with oxygen, sulfur bacteria quickly die, and to speed up the process, simply stir the liquid several times.
You can pour a bottle of hydrogen peroxide into 10 liters of water, and then clean it with a household filter - this will help get rid of the unpleasant odor.
Two teaspoons of iodine per bucket of liquid will help solve the problem. If you mix the solution well, let the sediment sink to the bottom and carefully drain clean water into another container, you can do without a filter.
Very good removal of hydrogen sulfide is dissolved to a light pink shade of potassium permanganate. But after that, the liquid must undergo double purification.

Iodine
Potassium permanganate

In no case should chlorine be used at home to treat water that smells of hydrogen sulfide. Instead of one problem, you get another.

Cleaning the source and water supply

The procedure for cleaning an artesian well is not worth doing on your own. Its depth is from 30 to 300 m, it is simply impossible to make degassing with improvised means. Entrust the cleaning of the walls of the casing from silt and other deposits to a specialist. Next, you should pump water from the very bottom, where organic compounds that feed sulfur bacteria live.

If you did not fill the bottom with gravel when arranging the well, it is advisable to do this after cleaning. The clastic rock will serve as a natural filter and reduce the likelihood of drinking water contamination with hydrogen sulfide. Cleaning the source in places where groundwater tends to pollute solves the problem for a period of 1 to 3 years.

Physical degassing

In order to remove hydrogen sulfide from water, it is enough to ensure its contact with air. The problem of contamination of the water intake system with volatile gas is quite common; degassers or aerators are usually used to solve the problem. They are of two types:

The non-pressure plant consists of a large plastic container, into which water enters through special nozzles. It is sprayed according to the method of showering and, in contact with air, is saturated with oxygen. Hydrogen sulfide is oxidized and falls to the bottom as a precipitate. The rest of the gas gradually escapes through the surface of the water, and an oxygen compressor can be installed to speed up the process. A pressureless aerator takes up a lot of space and needs to be protected from the weather. Water flows into it by gravity.
A pressure degasser is much more convenient, as it is more compact than a non-pressure degasser, and therefore takes up less space. The liquid entering the degasser is enriched with oxygen using a pump. You can install the unit in the basement or utility room on the ground floor.

Chemical water treatment

Hydrogen sulfide can be oxidized not only by oxygen, but also by sodium hypochlorite, ozone, or hydrogen peroxide. Chemically purified water contains an insoluble precipitate in the form of various sulfur compounds. It is removed with the help of special filters and a clean, ready-to-use and safe liquid enters the water supply.

Adsorbents

Various sorbents can accelerate oxidative reactions. Activated carbon is most often used to purify tap water. It removes from water not only hydrogen sulfide, but also other impurities. Charcoal filters give best result when used together with pressure degassing. Do not forget that they need to be changed regularly.

carbon filter

Conclusion

Before starting to purify water, conduct a laboratory analysis, invite a specialist and select a method based on the data obtained. Drinking water is vital to you and your family members, focus on its quality, not the cost of the work.

Liked the article? Share it

Print article