Many people complain of a sulphur smell in their well water. There’s something decidedly unpleasant about water that smells like rotten eggs.

We’ve covered some of the ways to determine the source of your smelly water – now, we’re listing some of the common causes of sulfur smelling water:

• Decay of organic matter or chemical reactions with sulfur-containing minerals in soil and rock.
• Sulfate-reducing bacteria which convert naturally occurring sulfate and other sulfur compounds to hydrogen sulfide gas.
• Water heaters can produce hydrogen sulfide gas by:
  • Providing a warm environment for sulfate-reducing bacteria to live.
  • The anode, which is usually magnesium, supplies electrons that sustain the reaction of sulfate to hydrogen sulfide gas.