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Why does my city water smell like sulfur?

Author

David Richardson

Updated on February 27, 2026

Why does my city water smell like sulfur?

Sulfur bacteria are naturally present in groundwater, therefore the smell is most likely due to reactions occurring in your hot water and are not a threat to your health. Water that smells strongly of sulfur, or like rotten eggs, is likely attributed to the presence of “sulfur bacteria” or hydrogen sulfide.

Besides, how do you get rid of sulfur smell in city water?

1. Shock your well with chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide to get temporary relief from sulfur odors. Often keeps odors away for 1 – 2 months.

Likewise, is sulfur smelling water safe? In most cases drinking water that has a strong rotten egg odor, although particularly unpleasant, is perfectly safe to drink. However in some rare occasions the odor may be caused by sewage or other contaminates in a building's water supply, which could cause health problems.

Similarly, why does my city water smell?

Generally, a rotten egg (or sulfurous), decayed or sewage-like odor in household water is a result of bacterial activity, which can be due to: Bacteria growing in the drain: This is the most common cause of these types of odors. The bacteria can produce a gas that smells like rotten eggs or sewage.

Can you shower in water that smells like sulfur?

It is safe to shower in it . But it would be better to check your water also . It's probably anaerobic Bactria which gives off sulfur and is easily fixed by adding air to your water . It will give you a slight scent of sulfur on your skin and some people could be irritated by the sulfur .

Can you filter sulfur out of water?

Sulfur in solid/ insoluble state is easily filtered out using the filtration method. Ozone, chlorine, aeration, and peroxide injections are some common processes that are used to get rid of the sulfur smell by boosting the oxidizing properties of the water being treated.

What can cause the smell of sulfur?

The two most common sources for rotten egg smell in the home are electrical components (inside of outlets for example) or a natural gas leak. Natural gas manufacturers are required to add a chemical, called mercaptan, to their gas in order to make it easier to detect a leak.

How do you remove hydrogen sulfide from water?

Aeration. Since hydrogen sulfide occurs as a gas in water, it can be physically removed by injecting air into the water and allowing the gas to escape. Aeration units may work by cascading, bubbling, or stripping the gas from the water. Aeration may be advantageous because it does not add chemicals to the water.

Is the smell of sulfur dangerous?

Smelling hydrogen sulfide does not mean that it will harm your health. The smell can cause worry, anxiety and resentment. Repeated odour events may culminate in real symptoms such as headache, fatigue and nausea. Although these are not direct health effects they are undesirable.

How do you get rid of Sulphur in your body?

Sulfur burps are burps that smell like rotten eggs.

How to get rid of sulfur burps

  1. Turmeric.
  2. Green tea.
  3. Fennel.
  4. Cumin.
  5. Anise.
  6. Caraway.
  7. Ginger.

How do I fix smelly tap water?

Address this problem by following these steps:
  1. Fill a glass with water from the sink that has the smell, then step away from the sink and swirl the water around inside the glass a few times.
  2. Flush and disinfect the drain by pouring half a cup of baking soda down the drain, then pour half a cup of vinegar.

Why does water smell bad after a while?

Microscopic oxygen breathing organisms will thrive in it until the oxygen in the water is used up. After that anerobic microscopic organisms take over. They release methane, CO2, and oxides of sulfur. It's the H2S and sulphur oxides that smell bad to us.

How do I get rid of the smell in my water tank?

To get rid of the bad odor, you'll want to contact a plumber to flush and disinfect your tank. Doing so will remove the bacteria and particles that create hydrogen sulfide. During a water heater flush, a plumber can replace your anode rod if it is corroded to prevent the smell in the future.

Is it safe to drink water that smells like bleach?

Chlorine in drinking water can cause water to smell or taste like chlorine and can cause drying of your skin as well as unmanageable hair. Drinking water is considered safe as long as the chlorine/chloramine levels do not exceed 4 milligrams per liter.

Can you boil sulfur out of water?

Bringing sulfur water to a boil will generally boil off the rotten egg smell from water and foods cooked in sulfur water should not have any change in flavor or texture due to the sulfur in the water.

Does boiling water get rid of sulfur smell?

Increase the water heater temperature to 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius) for several hours. This will destroy the sulfur bacteria. Flushing to remove the dead bacteria after treatment should control the odor problem.

How do you get rid of sulfur smell?

Chlorine bleach can effectively remove medium to high levels (over 6 mg/l) of hydrogen sulfide. The chlorine in the bleach chemically reacts with (oxi- dizes) the hydrogen sulfide eliminating the "rotten egg" odor. Chlorine bleach also reacts with iron or manganese, and disinfects water supplies.

Can sulfur smelling water make you sick?

At high concentrations, sulfur water can cause diarrhea and illness. In most US households, though, drinking sulfur water is safe because the concentration of sulfates and hydrogen sulfide is low.

Does Iceland smell like a fart?

Everything smells like farts

The water in Iceland is heated by harnessing the volcanic landscapes geothermal energy, which then then runs straight to your tap. So whilst it is super fresh, it is also super sulphuric, making it smell like you're changing the diaper of a baby grown on a diet of Indian food and asparagus.

Will a Brita filter remove sulfur?

Brita® faucet filters reduce lead, chlorine, asbestos, benzene, particulates and other contaminants. Activated carbon filters at the tap or for the entire house can remove small amounts of hydrogen sulfide, so these are best for water in which the sulfur smell isn't too strong.

What happens if you have too much sulfur in your body?

Sulfur in excess can cause brain cell death, resulting in brain damage. Signs associated with brain damage can include blindness, incoordination, seizures, death, and others.

Is rotten egg smell in house dangerous?

If you're one of them, the rotten egg smell might be coming from a buildup of hydrogen sulfide in the water. Usually, this comes from decayed vegetation in the ground. It's certainly not dangerous, but the smell can be unappetizing.

How does the body get rid of hydrogen sulfide?

When you breathe air containing hydrogen sulfide or when hydrogen sulfide comes into contact with skin, it is absorbed into the blood stream and distributed throughout the body. In the body, hydrogen sulfide is primarily converted to sulfate and is excreted in the urine.

Why does it smell like rotten eggs under my sink?

A smelly sink is usually caused by bacteria build up from grease, fat and food which have been flushed down the drain. These will then get stuck in the pipes causing the familiar rotten egg smell.

Why does my hot water tank smell like rotten eggs?

You are most likely on well water, and there is a bacteria, known as SRB (sulfate-reducing bacteria), that gets into water heaters and, although harmless to humans from a pure health perspective, creates the odor by digesting naturally occurring sulfur-based elements in the water, releasing tiny amounts of hydrogen

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