How to Remove Sulphur From Drinking Water

If you smell rotten eggs, test your water for sulphur.

Decaying organic matter such as plant material found in water can create hydrogen sulfide gas. Sulphur-reducing bacteria found in oxygen-deficient environments, such as deep wells, plumbing systems, water softeners and water heaters, also produce hydrogen sulfide gas. This gas has the smell of rotten eggs and indicates sulphur in the water. If this smell is associated with your drinking water, you will want to remove the sulphur as it means your water is contaminated and in rare cases this can cause nausea, illness, diarrhea and dehydration.

Things You'll Need

• 1 gallon of liquid household bleach
• 5-gallon bucket of water
• Garden hose

Instructions

Removing Sulphur from a Well Water System

1. Drain the water out of your pressure tank.

2. Add the gallon of bleach to a 5-gallon bucket of water and mix.

3. Pour the mixture directly into the well via the access port or by removal of the sanitary seal.

4. Turn on the tank pump and run water through a hose using a tap closest to the well until you smell chlorine. Then direct the hose nozzle back down into the top of the well to disinfect inside the well casing.

5. Open all taps, in and outside the house, one at a time to include, hot water tanks, toilets, shower heads and clothes washer, until you smell the chlorine.

6. Close each tap, only after you smell chlorine at all taps. Do not use the water system for 12 to 24 hours.

7. Pump the system out by attaching a hose to the closest tap to the the well. Direct the draining chlorinated water away from vegetation.

8. Continue pumping until each tap is free from the smell of chlorine. Do not drink the water if you still smell chlorine.

Tips & Warnings

• You probably won't completely get rid of all of the sulphur-reducing bacteria but an annual chlorine shocking will keep your water drinkable. Other methods exist to rid sulphur from your drinking water, including activated charcoal filters, reverse osmosis and distillation.

• Hydrogen sulfide problems in water can be difficult to treat. Sometimes several different approaches may need to be used to remove sulphur.

References

• Water Research: Sulfates and Hydrogen SulfideThat Rotten Egg / Sulfur Smell Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB)
• Excel Water: Hydrogen Sulfide Removal Methods
• The Ohio State University Extension: Hydrogen Sulfide in Drinking Water
• Inspectapedia: How to Remove Sulphur or Rotten Egg Odors from Drinking Water
• Benton Franklin Health District: Drinking Water Program

Resources

• Daily WaterFilter: Home Water Filtration Systems