Cold Tap Water Smells Like Rotten Eggs

If you smell a rotten egg odor this is hydrogen sulfide gas.

Cold tap water smells like rotten eggs. If the water smells like oil or asphalt this can be from manganese. It can occur when water comes in contact with organic matter or certain minerals such as pyrite. Even extremely small amounts of hydrogen sulfide can cause your water to have quite the odorous smell. That means common odors may come from tap water and a nauseating rotten egg smell may be one of them.

If your water smells like cucumber or sewage this is usually a result of iron and or sulfur bacteria. This is the case when you will likely need some sort of filtration in order to improve your water s smell and taste. And naturally occurring sulfates fuel the bacteria. In some parts of the country drinking water can contain the chemical hydrogen sulfide gas which smells just like rotten eggs.

The rotten egg odor is caused by levels of sulfur bacteria and hydrogen sulfide gas. A frequent cause of musty earthy odors in water is naturally occurring organic compounds derived from the decay of plant material in lakes and reservoirs. If your cold water smells like rotten eggs the odor is usually caused by the levels of sulfur bacteria and hydrogen sulfide gas that can be found in a building s water supply. The reason your water probably smells like rotten eggs is because it contains some traces of hydrogen sulfide.

The bacteria thrive in poorly aerated plumbing and corrode metal parts. Like in the morning when you first get a glass of water. All water when both your hot and cold treated and untreated water smell like rotten eggs the problem could lie within your well system or in the groundwater. If you only experience the smell when using your hot tap it may be a chemical reaction occurring inside your hot water heater and not a problem with your water supply.

If your water smells like rotten eggs first of all don t panic. If the rotten egg smell is happening inboth hot and cold watertemperatures and doesn t decrease with a few seconds of running the water then the hydrogen sulfide could be coming from the water source. Testing your water should be the first thing done so you can see the levels of hydrogen sulfide sulfate sulfur and iron bacteria. Sulfate reducing bacteria srb cause cold water to smell like rotten eggs.

Sulfur bacteria thrives in oxygen deficient environments such as plumbing systems. Your water smells like sulfur because of the presence of sulfur bacteria or hydrogen sulfide.