Why Does My Water Smell? 6 Common Smells & Their Causes

1. My Water Smells Like Sewage

When the aroma of dirt, grime and waste strikes your water supply, the smell can be appalling and insufferable.

The sewage smell you’re experiencing can be caused by several factors. It could be the bacteria left by food and soap in your drain. You might think you’re smelling sewage from your faucet, but it could be the scent of bacteria in your drain, resulting in your sink generally having an unpleasant smell.

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Another reason your water smells like sewage could be the water in your water heater has been left unused for too long. Were you away from home for an extended period of time and shut it off to save energy? The smell could be originating from the bacteria that was harvested in the lower temperatures while the water heater was turned down or off. The smell can become quite pungent.

What you should do

Pour two glasses of water from the faucet—one from the cold tap and one from the hot side—while plugging your nose. Walk away from the sink with the water glasses in hand, then take a whiff from each once you’re in another room. If the water in both glasses smells normal, the odor is likely coming from bacteria build-up in your sink drain.

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To remove the smell emanating from your drain, pour ¼ of a cup of baking soda down the drain followed by ¼ cup of white vinegar. It’s going to bubble, but let this continue for 10 minutes. While waiting, boil a pot of water and then pour the hot water into the drain. This will disinfect your pipes and remove the foul odor.

If the water smell is from the hot tap only, it’s recommended you flush and disinfect your water heater with a chlorine bleach solution, which a water treatment professional can help with.

A water treatment professional can also test for contaminants and hydrogen sulfide if disinfecting the water heater doesn’t resolve the problem. The smell of sewage can often be mistaken for hydrogen sulfide, or rotten egg smell, which you’ll learn more about in the next section.

2. My Water Smells Like Rotten Eggs

If your water smells like rotten eggs or sulfur, not only will it be too pungent to enjoy, it’s recommended you don’t drink it.

If your water smells like sulfur, it could be because of the presence of sulfur bacteria or hydrogen sulfide. The bacteria feast on decomposing organic matter, which leads to the creation of hydrogen sulfide gas, which becomes trapped in the plumbing system.

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Sulfur bacteria alone is not a threat to your wellbeing, but it promotes the growth of other harmful materials such as iron bacteria that can clog wells, plumbing and irrigation systems. Elevated levels of hydrogen sulfide can harm you by causing nausea, headaches, delirium and convulsions.

What you should do

If the smell is only coming from warm or hot water out of the faucet, it’s most likely your water heater. If this is the case, contact a water system professional to replace your magnesium anode. This attachment is connected to a plug on top. Replacing the original anode rod may cut the production of hydrogen sulfide gas at the source. However, the rod’s removal will most likely decrease the life expectancy of your water heater.

You can also use a chlorine bleach solution to flush the water heater. This solution can be tricky, so proceed with caution. It’s recommended you consult with a professional for assistance.

If the scent emerges when either warm or cold water is running, it could be coming from one of these two sources:

• Distribution System
• Groundwater

Hydrogen sulfide in your water can be reduced by installing an iron filter, which will treat your home’s entire water supply. An iron filter will help remove red and clear water iron, which will help reduce water staining.

Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Kitchens