Monday, June 5, 2017

Need Help with Rotten Egg Smell but Do Not Want Chlorine

Dear Sir,

My question has to do with smelly water.  Our well water smells bad (rotten-eggs) in the cold water, and its worse in the hot water.  I prefer not to use chlorine, is there some of aeration tank I can use? 

Our home has two bathrooms, 4 people.  Our well water is good except for smell.  We don’t get rust stains like our neighbors.  When we purchased this place it was tested and no bacteria was present and water is supposedly safe to drink, it just smells terrible.  Thank you.

David,
Tennessee



David,

Thanks for emailing.  You don’t have to use chlorine to get rid of odor.  One alternative way that is very effective is to inject automatically hydrogen peroxide and then filter the water with a Sulfur Air-Charger Catalytic Carbon Filter System.

This type of system is completely automatic and there are not filter cartridges to change.  The only routine maintenance involves adding some hydrogen peroxide to the solution tank every few months.

Like chlorine, hydrogen peroxide is a strong oxidizer and can quickly  eliminate the odors. Unlike chlorine however, hydrogen peroxide leaves behind no trace of chemical by-products. When hydrogen peroxide is injected into water, a large amount of dissolved oxygen is released and a strong oxidizing effect takes place. Odors are eliminated, microorganisms are destroyed, and tannins can be oxidized.

Hydrogen peroxide converts hydrogen sulfide gas, and iron present to a solid particle which is then removed by a back-washing self-cleaning carbon filtration system. Any residual hydrogen peroxide will be effectively removed by the carbon filter.

Smelly odors are a common problem in well water systems.  They are generally caused by hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas, which can get into water sources in a number of ways: via sewage systems, near coal and peat deposits, in oil fields, and most commonly from iron and sulfur bacteria.

These bacteria thrive on iron and sulfur, and chemically convert sulfates to produce H2S gas, causing the odors commonly experienced in well water systems.


A combination of hydrogen peroxide injection (or chlorine) combined with aeration and filtration with catalytic carbon does an excellent job to completely eliminate these odors and produce crystal clear water with no chemical residual.

The Air Charger Sulfur Filters pass the water through a pocket of air which oxidizes sulfur out of your water, then pass the water through a bed of filtration media specifically designed to remove odors from water.  

These systems are automatically backwashing, meaning the media inside is cleaned every 1-2 nights, prolonging the life of the media and providing the air used for oxidation.

This is an automatic backwashing system that rinses out the media about once per week in order to keep the media clean as well as maintain a head of air for the oxidation purposes.  Unlike other Air Charger systems this valve doesn’t need to do a full backwash every night, rather this simply does an automatic suction to replenish the air-pocket. 

An optional Spindown filter should be installed upstream of the backwashing filter so as to protect against sand/sediment from entering the control valve and cause unwanted problems. 

You can also use this to shock the filter/house with Bleach or Peroxide from time to time as will help with odor buildup as well as improving the filters cleanliness and longevity.  

The Spindown filter uses a mesh screen thus no filter cartridges that need constant servicing.  Simply flush the valve for 10 – 20 seconds about once a month or as needed and done.

The following will show images, a brief description of each, system cost, warranty specifics, along with product links for more information. 



 Pro-OX 5900-AIR 0.75 CF:  844 Air Injection Oxidizing Filter

Unique NSF Control Valve allows the air pocket to be replenished each night, without having the iron filter go through a complete backwash.  Other Air-Charger Iron Filters must go through a complete backwash each night, in order to replenish the air, wasting thousands of gallons of water each year.

No potassium permanganate, or other chemicals required like other iron filters.  This system also works with chlorinated water should you shock the well.

Dimensions:  8" Diameter x 51" Height with the valve attached.   1” connectors, media, valve, and bypass is included.  All installation and start-up guides will be sent directly to you and we are available for tech-support as well should you have questions during installation or down the line. 


Excellent warranty: 10 years on the tank; Industry leading 7 years on the valve.


 Rusco Spin Down Filter, PE, 1”, 60 Mesh size                   

Rusco Spin Down Filter 1" SxS Port (Slip x Slip, for PVC pipes or glued connections), 60 Mesh (254 Microns).

Includes 1/2" manual flush ball valve.  Spin-Down Sediment Filters are highly flexible filters designed to be utilized in a wide variety of applications.  This would protect the Iron filter from sand, debris, etc. with no cartridges to change.



 Hydrogen Peroxide System, Mixer













  Peroxide Package Precision

Features
These complete pump and tank systems include injection check valve, tubing, fittings and are the best way to achieve accurate peroxide residuals with the least amount of maintenance. 

Precision-24 Versatile Peroxide System Works for a Wide Range of Conditions and Wells:
  • Works over a wide range of water flow rates for most home water wells
  • Good for well water flow rates from 1 to 50 Gallons Per Minute (1 - 50 GPM)
  • Pumps 0.1 to 24 gallons of solution per day
  • Works for line pressures up to 110 PSI
  • Choose 120v or 220v. Uses only 22 watts of power.
  • Dimensions: 15 gallon model: 14.5" wide x 24", height including pump is 35". 35 gallon model: 18" wide x 33", height including pump is 44".
  • Stroke frequency adjustable from 0 to 100 strokes per minute
  • Digital speed adjustment makes adjusting the pump fast and easy for incredibly accurate injection
  • De-gassing vent built-in makes the pump great for peroxide use
  • Unlike Stenner-style peristaltic pumps: no pump tube failures, no rollers to go bad needs less service, and good for continuous duty












 In-Line Mixers

Specifications:
  • Industrial Quality Inline static mixer 1"
  • Schedule 80 PVC Unions on each end
  • Glue-type slip fittings for easy installation into PVC pipe
  • For flow rates from 2.5 to 16 GPM
  • Heavy-duty Sch 80 Gray PVC
  • Excellent for instant mixing of injected chemicals such as chlorine, soda ash, or sodium hydroxide.
  • The CWS static mixer has NO moving parts.
  • The mixer will instantaneously and completely mix any combination of gas or liquid with the water stream.
  • The unique baffle design continues to redivide and recombine the streams as it passes through, generating a lot of turbulence, ensuring complete mixing with no energy, moving parts, and very low-pressure loss.


Questions? Call us toll-free 888-600-5426 or email us.

I hope this information helps and finds you well, should you have any questions or require additional documentation simply let me know.  Thanks again for contacting us to treat your water, I look forward to hearing from you.

I hope this information helps and finds you well, should you have any questions or require additional documentation simply let me know.  Thanks again for contacting us to treat your water, I look forward to hearing from you.