Water well treatment question

The sulphur smell is caused by iron eating bacteria in the water. Try dropping a cup of bleach into the well. You may need to repeat this every so often. It is best to do this when you plan to use a lot of water for something other than drinking -- like laundry or watering the flower garden.

I haven't heard this reason for a sulfur odor. Where do the bacteria get the sulfur?

It's pretty common where I live to have hydrogen sulfide (which is a gas) dissolved in your well water. When you relieve the pressure, the gas bubbles out (like C02 in a bottle of pop). My previous house had a well that was especially bad.

About the only thing you can do is to release the water into a tank, which allows the gas to escape, then presurize it again with another pump for service to your house.

-Hershel

Thanks, what about the idea of injecting air in the well just above the water pump.?Wouldn't the bubbling effect of the air pick up and take the sulphur out of the water? This way you do not have to have a separate tank. My well holds a 400ft. column of water.

Chlorination does nothing for solid sulfates and/or hydrogen sulfide gas presence. Just masks the smell. Does not remove the source.

Forced aeration does help eliminate the hydrogen sulfide gas. But, creates sulphuric acid in the process. There must also exist an air pocket for the hydrogen sulfide gas to separate from the water where all the water is forced through this air pocket. This is impossible in a strictly upward motion of the water.

Air injection just after the wellhead pump is going to force air in a vertical shaft that may accumulate. Will reduce realized actual water flow as the reservoir tank will be full of air after using the air injector for awhile. There is also a problem of metering the air in tandem with water flow, and how much air as well at the air injection point.

The two standard methods for removal of hydrogen sulfide gas are a holding tank with subsequent pump, and an air injection tank with intermittent flush system. The former is much more expensive. 1000 bucks is cheap regarding that method. The latter method is much cheaper, requires a french drain for the sulphuric acid/water flush, reduces the water flow somewhat. Either method located after the wellhouse's reservoir tank.

I had the same problem with my well over a year ago. I tried the bleach/shocking method and poor results were what I got. I did some research and found that an effective solution (and maint. free) is to install a backflushing pyrolox filter.

Basically it is a cylinder that you put on after your well pressure tank and all your water flows through it. It contains marble and pyrolox. It automatically backflushes (timer) every few nights and is supposed to last 20+ years before needed additional pyrolox.

There are several brands, i got m> > We just moved into a home in the country that has a water well. The

Actually they do if you scroll down a bit...and look at the terminox filter.

"Removes iron, sulfur, manganese, dirt, turbidity, taste, odors, and even stronger chemicals like chlorine and chloramines."

My suggestion is call their 800 number for info if nothing else....they were very helpful and I learned quite a bit.

J>

My point being is if their chlorine injection system is used, and obviously not smart for the purpose they stated, it leads me to question any other of their products.

I get your point, but I think they are giving you an inexpensive option which will most likely clear up the smell issue. I agree that it isn't optimal, but it is an option for people who don't/can't spend the money.

J> My point being is if their chlorine injection system is used, and obviously