water odor

[belinda7]

Hi,
I have a question about the odor in my water. I use well water and use
an in house filter currently I am using an Omnifilter model T01-DS series C.
Where as this use to work for a few months now it only takes out the smell
for about two weeks and then I have to replace it again. I am a senior
citizen and live alone so I can't do any of the BIG stuff myself. Does anyone
have any suggestions. I called the well company that installed it and they
said a quart of bleach may help but it doesn't. Please reply in laymens
terms as I know zilch about this stuff. I would really, really appreciate
some good advise.
Thanks in advance for any help that may be given.

Sincerely
Belinda

[Gary Slusser]

Describe the odor, is it H2S (sulfur rotten egg like), or chemical, etc..

Have you had a Coliform bacteria test done? If not lately, you should.

Do you have any other type of water treatment equipment?

[belinda7]

Thanks for the suggestion gary, I have not had a coliform bacteria test
done and I have no other water but the well. Where does one get this test
done, is it from the people that put in the well or is there a home kit that
can be purchased.?
Thanks again,
Belinda

[Gary Slusser]

Look under the heading Laboratories and Water in your yellow pages for water analysis or testing or an ad that offers water testing. The county extension office or the health dept.. Or buy a kit online. Many plumbing or pump supply houses can do it too.

You still haven't said what the odor smells like.

Or if you have any type of water treatment equipment.

[belinda7]

Sorry garry for not completely explaining but I'm new at this game at 68 years
old. The smell is like rotten eggs and I do not have any other water
treatment equipment.

Thanks
Belinda

[Gary Slusser]

I don't know model numbers of cartridge filters but... it has to be carbon to remove odor, and especially H2S gas. The H2S can be naturally occurring, coming in with the water or caused by bacteria. Do you have this odor everywhere in the in both the hot and cold or hot or cold only? Hot only says bacteria, a group of nuisance and harmless bacteria called sulfate reducing or iron reducing. If in the cold and hot everywhere in the house says it comes in with the water from the well. Bacteria has to be killed. To do that you can raise the temp on the water heater to 140f, remove or replace the anode rod with a different type material or use chlorine but...

If the cartridge is carbon, it can be part of the cause. Bacteria love living in carbon, it provides a high volume of food by removing organics from the water and has a HUGE surface area for bacteria to live in. You can remove the cartridge, fill the housing with non scented regular bleach and run COLD water to each fixture and allow it to sit in the pipes for 10-15 minutes, then run each cold water faucet for 10 seconds, wait 10-15 minutes and repeat 4-5 times. Then see if you have the odor and if so, then it is coming in with the well water and you need equipment to treat H2S. If no odor, then you need equipment to kill the bacteria or raise the water temp or do the rod thing. A local water treatment dealer is a better choice than most well drillers or plumbers that dabble in this. Or you can buy online from a dealer like me and hire a plumber or someone to do the installation.

[belinda7]

Hi Garry,
Thank you so much for all your help, it is in hot & cold water, but I will try
some of the things you suggested. I really appreciate all the time you
have taken to help me try to solve this problem.

Many thanks
sincerely
Belinda