Water Test Results

[AREwing]

I wrote previously about using inline filter to try and deal with rotten egg smell and you advised it would be a frustration. I now have recent water test results and was hoping you would share your thoughts/recommendations regarding a whole house system based on these results. They are:

E. coli and total coliforms--------------0
Chloride-------------------------------19.4mg/L
Nitrite(as N)---------------------------less than 0.1mg/L
Nitrate(as N)--------------------------less than 0.3 mg/L
Sulfate-------------------------------21.9 mg/L
Iron-----------------------------------less than 0.05mg/L
Alkalinity-------------------------------174 mg/L
ph(analyzed out of holding range)-------7.8
Sodium---------------------------------41.9 mg/L
Hardness-------------------------------29.8 mg/L

Thank you in advance.

[Andy CWS]

I see that you have less than 2 grains per gallon hardness and yet your pH is above neutral. Often with low natural hardness comes a low pH as well.

There are numerous ways the eliminate that sulfur odor. Aeration, chlorination hydrogen peroxide, catalytic filters are a few of the typical ways to treat odors in your water.

Depending on the measurement of hydrogen sulfides in parts per million, can help in selecting a technique in solving your problem. Can you get those levels measured?

Andy Christensen, CWS-II

[AREwing]

The first test was through the county health department and that is the results they sent. I believe most water treatment company's will test your water for free in hopes of getting your business. I can try one, I believe they will test for the hydrogen sulfides as it is a common problem where I live.

[Gary Slusser]

The best test for H2S/sulfur is your nose. It takes very little to cause an obnoxious odor. And any oxidizer like chlorine, air, hydrogen peroxide or ozone, or an automatic backwashed oxidizing mineral filter will remove it if done right.

Depending on how much of it is in the water, a disposable cartridge filter is not a good choice but.... is this odor in the hot water or cold water or both? If in the hot water only, you may have a sulfate reducing bacteria problem; a harmless group of bacteria that thrive in water heaters set lower than 140f.

[AREwing]

The odor is in both hot and cold, with it being noticably stronger in the hot water. I know this is normal, and removal of the anode in the water heater can help, but it does not eliminate the odor; that according to my neighbor who has the same depth well and had already tried that.

[Gary Slusser]

Removing the rod only works for a hot water only odor because that is caused by SRB (sulfate reducing bacteria). That is a group of nuisance harmless bacteria and they thrive in the heater producing H2S gas and the resulting odor IF they can get a hydrogen ion from the anode rod material.

To prevent that cause of the odor, you must kill the bacteria, remove the rod or increase the water temp to 140f.

Naturally occurring H2S will expand in the heater and make teh odor stronger in the hot water.

[AREwing]

In a previous post I was considering using an inline carbon filter to try and address the odor. Andy advised that that would most likely require constant filter changes and advised against an inline filter for sulfur odor. I got the water tested to see exactly what I was dealing with and was hoping for some type of recommendation on what type of whole house system to put in, since there are so many, most causting thousands of dollars. Andy then advised he would need the hydrogen sulfides in parts per million to make that recommendation. Are you aware of a way to obtain that type of test? I was going to have one of the water company's come out and do the free water testing, but I'm not sure what results you really get, plus their goal is to sell you one of their systems.