Hiya,
I'm on well water and every 6 months or so, I get odors coming from the
water. I believe it's Iron bacteria (or something to that effect).
Anyway, I usually do a treatment by pouring a measured amount of chlorox
down the well to shock the system. Unfortunately, this ends up with
clorine odors in the house for weeks (I don't purge the system after adding
the chlorox.....we're in severe drought here and I don't want to waste the
water....unfortunately, the side affect is a stopped septic system). Are
there any systems available such as RODI etc... that I could install to
eliminate this? I've got a water softener that I've never used (came with
the house) but don't think that would help much. Thanks for any advice.
Cheers,
cc

You can't just guess at what's in the water, get it tested at a lab. It
could be anything. A water softener will only get out hardness.

"James "Cubby" Culbertson" wrote in message
...
Hiya,
I'm on well water and every 6 months or so, I get odors coming from the
water. I believe it's Iron bacteria (or something to that effect).
Anyway, I usually do a treatment by pouring a measured amount of chlorox
down the well to shock the system. Unfortunately, this ends up with
clorine odors in the house for weeks (I don't purge the system after
adding
the chlorox.....we're in severe drought here and I don't want to waste the
water....unfortunately, the side affect is a stopped septic system). Are
there any systems available such as RODI etc... that I could install to
eliminate this? I've got a water softener that I've never used (came with
the house) but don't think that would help much. Thanks for any advice.
Cheers,
cc

"Bob" wrote in message
...
You can't just guess at what's in the water, get it tested at a lab. It
could be anything. A water softener will only get out hardness.

Understood Bob. My neighbors are all on the same well basically and had it
tested. I thought I remembered it being "Iron Bacteria". I suppose I
should look for a reasonably priced lab anyway..... Regardless, assuming
it is this iron bacteria, is there any way to remove it without shocking the
system with chlorine?
Cheers,
cc

"James "Cubby" Culbertson" wrote in message
...

"Bob" wrote in message
...
You can't just guess at what's in the water, get it tested at a lab. It
could be anything. A water softener will only get out hardness.

Understood Bob. My neighbors are all on the same well basically and had
it tested. I thought I remembered it being "Iron Bacteria". I suppose
I should look for a reasonably priced lab anyway..... Regardless,
assuming it is this iron bacteria, is there any way to remove it without
shocking the system with chlorine?
Cheers,
cc



Your county may check it for free? Some do in my area. YMMV.

Rich

You might try adding a cup of chlorine every week or so instead of shocking.

what are the results of your last mandatory annual test?
see:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/health...rivatewell.htm

Specific Contaminants
Bacteria
Protozoa
E. coli O157:H7
Campylobacter
Salmonella
Shigella
Cryptosporidium
Giardia
Viruses
Chemicals
Enteroviruses
Hepatitis A Virus
Norovirus
Rotavirus Arsenic
Copper
Lead
Nitrate
Radon

check your state for a link or here's illinois:
http://www.epa.state.il.us/well-water/index.html

others with well odors at:
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.h...rch+this+group

In article .com,
says...

what are the results of your last mandatory annual test?

Who says annual testing is mandatory? Might be in some localities,
but most private wells are rarely, if ever, tested. (Public water
systems are a different matter.)

--
is Joshua Putnam
http://www.phred.org/~josh
"My other bike is a car."

James "Cubby" Culbertson wrote:
Hiya,
I'm on well water and every 6 months or so, I get odors coming from
the water. I believe it's Iron bacteria (or something to that
effect). Anyway, I usually do a treatment by pouring a measured
amount of chlorox down the well to shock the system. Unfortunately,
this ends up with clorine odors in the house for weeks (I don't purge
the system after adding the chlorox.....we're in severe drought here
and I don't want to waste the water....unfortunately, the side affect
is a stopped septic system). Are there any systems available such
as RODI etc... that I could install to eliminate this?

I've got a
water softener that I've never used (came with the house) but don't
think that would help much.

Try it, they will reduce iron too.

--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

The first thing to do is to find out EXACTLY what's in your water. It isn't
good enough to just think it's iron bacteria, Insist on seeing the report,
and be positive that the water was tested at a time when it WASN'T being
treated. If you can't be sure of that, then get it tested yourself (also at
a time when there is no chemical being added). Find a local INDEPENDENT lab
that's not trying to sell you some equipment.
Most good labs have different levels of testing, ranging from coliform, up
to hazardous chemicals. Some of them will want to come out to take the
sample, and some will provide you with a sterile bottle that you can fill
and bring back to them. Whoever takes the water sample, they must run the
water for at least 5 minutes (at the tap closest to the well).
Do not involve your local board of health. They are usually only concerned
with coliform, and if they find any, they might temporarily shut the well
down.

"James "Cubby" Culbertson" wrote in message
...

"Bob" wrote in message
...
You can't just guess at what's in the water, get it tested at a lab. It
could be anything. A water softener will only get out hardness.

Understood Bob. My neighbors are all on the same well basically and had
it
tested. I thought I remembered it being "Iron Bacteria". I suppose I
should look for a reasonably priced lab anyway..... Regardless, assuming
it is this iron bacteria, is there any way to remove it without shocking
the
system with chlorine?
Cheers,
cc

Is the smell from both hot and cold taps or just from the hot tap?

If from the hot tap only, it could be sulfate reducing bacteria
interacting with the anode rod in the hot water tank. The only cure I
know of is to remove the anode rod. There are low smell anode rodes on
the market but they didnt work with my heater.

Otherwise, do what another poster suggested. Get that water softener
working. It does reduce iron levels. There's iron bacteria in my water
and I have a softener. I've never experienced any smells coming from
the cold water tap.

dickm


On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 18:59:58 -0700, "James \"Cubby\" Culbertson"
wrote:

Hiya,
I'm on well water and every 6 months or so, I get odors coming from the
water. I believe it's Iron bacteria (or something to that effect).
Anyway, I usually do a treatment by pouring a measured amount of chlorox
down the well to shock the system. Unfortunately, this ends up with
clorine odors in the house for weeks (I don't purge the system after adding
the chlorox.....we're in severe drought here and I don't want to waste the
water....unfortunately, the side affect is a stopped septic system). Are
there any systems available such as RODI etc... that I could install to
eliminate this? I've got a water softener that I've never used (came with
the house) but don't think that would help much. Thanks for any advice.
Cheers,
cc

You shouldn't run a water heater without and anode rod. It's there so it can
corrode faster than the tank. When it's totally depleted or removed, the
exposed metal parts of the tank corrode much faster. Water heaters usually
come with a magnesium anode rod and sulfur in the water sometimes causes an
offensive odor. You need a rod made of a less active metal like aluminum or
zinc. If you tried one and still had the smell, then try the other one.



"dicko" wrote in message
...
Is the smell from both hot and cold taps or just from the hot tap?

If from the hot tap only, it could be sulfate reducing bacteria
interacting with the anode rod in the hot water tank. The only cure I
know of is to remove the anode rod. There are low smell anode rodes on
the market but they didnt work with my heater.

Otherwise, do what another poster suggested. Get that water softener
working. It does reduce iron levels. There's iron bacteria in my water
and I have a softener. I've never experienced any smells coming from
the cold water tap.

dickm


On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 18:59:58 -0700, "James \"Cubby\" Culbertson"
wrote:

Hiya,
I'm on well water and every 6 months or so, I get odors coming from the
water. I believe it's Iron bacteria (or something to that effect).
Anyway, I usually do a treatment by pouring a measured amount of chlorox
down the well to shock the system. Unfortunately, this ends up with
clorine odors in the house for weeks (I don't purge the system after
adding
the chlorox.....we're in severe drought here and I don't want to waste
the
water....unfortunately, the side affect is a stopped septic system).
Are
there any systems available such as RODI etc... that I could install to
eliminate this? I've got a water softener that I've never used (came
with
the house) but don't think that would help much. Thanks for any
advice.
Cheers,
cc

I tried both the zinc and the "K90" which I believe is a zinc-aluminum
rod. Both stunk up the water.

The funny thing is that the previous heater had no problems. It lasted
for 15 years, though I've only owned the house for 6. I neglected to
look if it had a rod in it when I took it out.

I've talked to numerous plumbers, and in this area the first thing
they do when they install a heater is to remove the anode rod. To
prevent call backs due to smell, I'm told. I've noticed myself that
heaters seem to last a lot longer on well water than on city water.
In my old house on city water, I could just about predict to the day,
every 5 years, a day after the warrenty ran out, when I'd have to
replace a heater. Well water just isnt as aggressive as city water.

So I figure that the old heater didnt have a rod and it lasted 6 years
without smell and possibly more before I bought the house. I think
I'm safe for at least that long.

dickm

On Thu, 19 Jan 2006 20:08:33 -0500, "Bob" wrote:


You shouldn't run a water heater without and anode rod. It's there so it can
corrode faster than the tank. When it's totally depleted or removed, the
exposed metal parts of the tank corrode much faster. Water heaters usually
come with a magnesium anode rod and sulfur in the water sometimes causes an
offensive odor. You need a rod made of a less active metal like aluminum or
zinc. If you tried one and still had the smell, then try the other one.



"dicko" wrote in message
.. .
Is the smell from both hot and cold taps or just from the hot tap?

If from the hot tap only, it could be sulfate reducing bacteria
interacting with the anode rod in the hot water tank. The only cure I
know of is to remove the anode rod. There are low smell anode rodes on
the market but they didnt work with my heater.

Otherwise, do what another poster suggested. Get that water softener
working. It does reduce iron levels. There's iron bacteria in my water
and I have a softener. I've never experienced any smells coming from
the cold water tap.

dickm


On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 18:59:58 -0700, "James \"Cubby\" Culbertson"
wrote:

Hiya,
I'm on well water and every 6 months or so, I get odors coming from the
water. I believe it's Iron bacteria (or something to that effect).
Anyway, I usually do a treatment by pouring a measured amount of chlorox
down the well to shock the system. Unfortunately, this ends up with
clorine odors in the house for weeks (I don't purge the system after
adding
the chlorox.....we're in severe drought here and I don't want to waste
the
water....unfortunately, the side affect is a stopped septic system).
Are
there any systems available such as RODI etc... that I could install to
eliminate this? I've got a water softener that I've never used (came
with
the house) but don't think that would help much. Thanks for any
advice.
Cheers,
cc

At that rate, you should look for a sale and buy a spare water heater to
keep next to the one you're currently using.

"dicko" wrote in message
...
I tried both the zinc and the "K90" which I believe is a zinc-aluminum
rod. Both stunk up the water.

The funny thing is that the previous heater had no problems. It lasted
for 15 years, though I've only owned the house for 6. I neglected to
look if it had a rod in it when I took it out.

I've talked to numerous plumbers, and in this area the first thing
they do when they install a heater is to remove the anode rod. To
prevent call backs due to smell, I'm told. I've noticed myself that
heaters seem to last a lot longer on well water than on city water.
In my old house on city water, I could just about predict to the day,
every 5 years, a day after the warrenty ran out, when I'd have to
replace a heater. Well water just isnt as aggressive as city water.

So I figure that the old heater didnt have a rod and it lasted 6 years
without smell and possibly more before I bought the house. I think
I'm safe for at least that long.

dickm

On Thu, 19 Jan 2006 20:08:33 -0500, "Bob" wrote:


You shouldn't run a water heater without and anode rod. It's there so it
can
corrode faster than the tank. When it's totally depleted or removed, the
exposed metal parts of the tank corrode much faster. Water heaters
usually
come with a magnesium anode rod and sulfur in the water sometimes causes
an
offensive odor. You need a rod made of a less active metal like aluminum
or
zinc. If you tried one and still had the smell, then try the other one.



"dicko" wrote in message
.. .
Is the smell from both hot and cold taps or just from the hot tap?

If from the hot tap only, it could be sulfate reducing bacteria
interacting with the anode rod in the hot water tank. The only cure I
know of is to remove the anode rod. There are low smell anode rodes on
the market but they didnt work with my heater.

Otherwise, do what another poster suggested. Get that water softener
working. It does reduce iron levels. There's iron bacteria in my water
and I have a softener. I've never experienced any smells coming from
the cold water tap.

dickm


On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 18:59:58 -0700, "James \"Cubby\" Culbertson"
wrote:

Hiya,
I'm on well water and every 6 months or so, I get odors coming from
the
water. I believe it's Iron bacteria (or something to that effect).
Anyway, I usually do a treatment by pouring a measured amount of
chlorox
down the well to shock the system. Unfortunately, this ends up with
clorine odors in the house for weeks (I don't purge the system after
adding
the chlorox.....we're in severe drought here and I don't want to waste
the
water....unfortunately, the side affect is a stopped septic system).
Are
there any systems available such as RODI etc... that I could install
to
eliminate this? I've got a water softener that I've never used (came
with
the house) but don't think that would help much. Thanks for any
advice.
Cheers,
cc

"James "Cubby" Culbertson" wrote in message
...
Hiya,
I'm on well water and every 6 months or so, I get odors coming from the
water. I believe it's Iron bacteria (or something to that effect).
Anyway, I usually do a treatment by pouring a measured amount of chlorox
down the well to shock the system. Unfortunately, this ends up with
clorine odors in the house for weeks (I don't purge the system after
adding the chlorox.....we're in severe drought here and I don't want to
waste the water....unfortunately, the side affect is a stopped septic
system). Are there any systems available such as RODI etc... that I
could install to eliminate this? I've got a water softener that I've
never used (came with the house) but don't think that would help much.
Thanks for any advice.
Cheers,
cc



Thanks folks for all the replies. A few things. I guess I'd better get a
test done just to insure I'm working on the right problem. Second, I
didn't think of the hot water heater. That may definitely be a
possibility. I'll have to look into that. I'd really rather not hook up
the softener but that may be a final option I consider depending on what I
find.
Cheers,
cc

?B?4oCTIENvbG9uZWwg4oCT?= wrote in
news:2006012120225675249-nobody@verizonnet:

Yes, they do. I just replaced the anode in my natural gas water heater
today. Flat top on hexnut, so used an aluminum anode.

On 2006-01-19 20:08:33 -0500, "Bob" said:

You shouldn't run a water heater without and anode rod. It's there so
it can corrode faster than the tank. When it's totally depleted or
removed, the exposed metal parts of the tank corrode much faster.
Water heaters usually come with a magnesium anode rod and sulfur in
the water sometimes causes an offensive odor. You need a rod made of
a less active metal like aluminum or zinc. If you tried one and still
had the smell, then try the other one.

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but just out of curiosity, do *GAS*
hot water heaters have sacrificial anodes in them to prevent
corrosion, as well? Or just electric? (It seems as though it shouldn't
matter...they're both going to corrode.)

On Fri, 20 Jan 2006 20:19:52 -0700, James \"Cubby\" Culbertson wrote:

Thanks folks for all the replies. A few things. I guess I'd better get a
test done just to insure I'm working on the right problem. Second, I
didn't think of the hot water heater. That may definitely be a
possibility. I'll have to look into that. I'd really rather not hook up
the softener but that may be a final option I consider depending on what I
find

I agree about the test.

If the hot water is the problem and you're concerned about corrosion, you can
invest in a Marathon water heater (electric). It has a plastic tank, thus no
corrosion. Cost is more, but you get what you pay for.

You might also try a whole house filter - OmniFilter I have was about $35 -
and use carbon impregnated filters in it. The carbon filter removes particles
down to 5 microns and the carbon helps to remove odors.

Might be an easier to maintain option than the softener - besides, if the
softener is like the ones I'm familiar with, it will increase the sodium
content of the water which is bad for those on a sodium restricted diet.

Later, Mike
(substitute strickland in the obvious location to reply directly)
-----------------------------------


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