If you live in the Tampa Bay area and get your water from a private well, you may have noticed an unpleasant rotten egg odor coming from your taps. This sulfur smell is common in well water and is caused by high levels of hydrogen sulfide gas that is naturally present in the Floridan Aquifer underground water source. While smelly water poses no serious health risks, it can make drinking and washing unpleasant. Luckily, there are several effective water treatment solutions available to remove sulfur and eliminate the odor from your home's water supply.
What Causes Sulfur Smell in Well Water?
There are a few reasons why well water in the Tampa area frequently has high sulfur content:
Hydrogen Sulfide Gas in the Aquifer
The Floridan Aquifer has naturally occurring hydrogen sulfide gas dissolved in the groundwater. As this water is pumped up by wells to the surface, the drop in pressure causes the gas to be released into the air which produces the rotten egg smell.
Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria
Sulfate-reducing bacteria that live in the aquifer feed on small amounts of sulfur in the water and produce hydrogen sulfide gas as a byproduct. These bacteria thrive in the low oxygen conditions of well water and shale deposits underground.
Corrosion of Pipes and Plumbing
Galvanized steel or cast iron pipes and fittings in older plumbing systems can corrode over time. This corrosion reaction releases hydrogen sulfide gas that makes the water smell bad.
Negative Effects of Smelly Sulfur Water
While sulfur water is not dangerous to your health, the unpleasant odor and taste can cause several annoyances:
Foul rotten egg smell throughout your home whenever water taps are turned on
Staining of laundry, dishes, sinks, and faucets black or gray from sulfur bacteria
Skin and hair damage from washing in harsh, smelly water
Rusty colored staining of plumbing fixtures and tiles
Unpleasant sulfur taste makes drinking and cooking with well water unpalatable
Removing the sulfur is the only way to get rid of these nuisance issues.
Effective Water Treatment Methods
The good news is that there are several effective water treatment systems that can remove sulfur smell and solve stinky well water problems for Tampa area homes. Which solution you choose depends on your budget, home's plumbing, and how much sulfur needs to be removed.
Oxidizing Filters
OzonePro and AquaCarbonGuard Catalytic Carbon Filter systems work by injecting ozone or oxygen gas bubbles into the water as its piped into your home. The ozone acts as a powerful oxidizer that converts hydrogen sulfide gas into tiny sulfur particles. These particles are then filtered out by a special carbon tank.
Benefits:
Effective at eliminating moderate sulfur smell and taste
Also removes iron, manganese, and other water contaminants
No chemicals added
Low maintenance required
Limitations:
May not remove high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide
Ozone can be corrosive for older metal plumbing parts
Chlorine Injection
A Retention Tank + Chlorine Injection System uses small amounts of household chlorine bleach injected into a water holding tank. The chlorine oxidizes sulfur compounds into harmless particles that are filtered out before the water reaches household taps.
Benefits:
Inexpensive DIY installation
Removes up to 6-8 ppm hydrogen sulfide
Also disinfects bacteria like E. coli
Limitations:
Requires large tank and regular bleach refills
Adds chlorine residual to drinking water
Not effective for high sulfur levels
Ultraviolet Oxidation
The HydroClear Ozone Generator uses powerful UV light beams and ozone gas injection to rapidly oxidize sulfur compounds. The water flows through a special reaction chamber featuring high-output UV lamps that convert dissolved hydrogen sulfide into sulfur dioxide gas which degasses out of the water.
Benefits:
Removes very high sulfur gas concentrations
Also effective for iron, bacteria, and other contaminants
No chemical residuals added
Limitations:
More expensive that standard ozone filters
Requires annual UV lamp replacement
Professional installation recommended
Reverse Osmosis Filtration
AquaRevive Reverse Osmosis Systems provide sulfur removal through a multi-stage filtration process ending with water being forced through a semi-permeable RO membrane. This effectively filters out hydrogen sulfide gas molecules along with a wide range of other water contaminants.
Benefits:
Removes >99% of sulfur compounds and other impurities
Produces cleaner, better tasting water
DIY under sink or whole house options
Limitations:
More costly than standard filters
Wastes 3-5 gallons of water per 1 gallon filtered
RO membrane needs replacing every 2-5 years
Whole House vs Point-of-Use System
You can treat smelly water at the point it enters your home with a whole house system that filters all taps, showers and appliances. Or a point-of-use filter at the kitchen sink taps only for cleaner drinking and cooking water.
Whole house systems require professional installation but provide benefits like:
Fixes water issues for entire home
Requires less maintenance
Automatic filtration 24/7
Under sink systems feature quicker DIY installs and give cleaner water just to the kitchen:
Lower upfront equipment costs
Easy to maintain and replace filters
Targeted treatment for drinking, cooking
Most Aqua-Wise water treatment systems can be customized for whole house or point-of-use setups based on your needs and budget. Their water specialists can advise on the best solutions for eliminating sulfur odors from your home.
Professional Water Testing
Since the specific sulfur compounds present can vary between wells, it's important to get your water tested to identify the root causes and optimal treatment method. The water experts at Aqua-Wise offer a free well water analysis at your home to check for:
Hydrogen sulfide gas levels
Other odors, metals, bacteria
Pipe corrosion issues
Water hardness and pH
Their lab tests combined with inspection of your plumbing system allows designing a custom water filtration plan to fit your home's needs and completely remove rotten egg odors.
Long-Term Protection With Maintenance
Regular maintenance is key to keep water treatment systems working properly for the long run. Tasks like annual testing, replacing filters and parts, and cleaning carbon tanks will sustain peak performance and effectiveness at eliminating sulfur from your water over many years of use.
The Aqua-Wise team handles all required servicing and maintenance on the systems they install. Their Total Care Maintenance Plans feature value pricing on parts replacements plus priority service scheduling to maximize convenience.
Investing in an effective maintenance contract provides peace of mind that your water filtration system will continue removing sulfur odor issues as long as you own your home. Contact their team to learn about bundled pricing discounts on new system installations combined with long-term Total Care Plans.
Financing Available for Water Treatment Projects
Adding a home water treatment system requires a significant upfront investment that can deter homeowners from moving ahead with a purchase. To make reliable and effective sulfur removal solutions more accessible for Tampa Bay area families, Aqua-Wise Water Treatment Solutions offers several flexible financing options including:
Cost-Effective Leasing
Aqua-Wise allows leasing high performance treatment systems for as low as $58 per month without requiring long term commitments or credit checks. Lease terms between 1-10 years are available to suit different budgets. You own the system at lease maturity or can upgrade models as new innovations emerge.
Through lending partnerships, Aqua-Wise can offer financing for treatment system purchases with long-term loans up to $25,000 and terms from 6 months up to 84 months. Installation, filters and maintenance can be bundled into monthly payments. Interest rates are better than most credit cards. Expanding term length lowers payments. Credit approval required.
Innovative Rental Deals
New Aqua-Wise UltraTech subscription programs allow renting specialized treatment equipment like ozone and UV generators for a low monthly rate that includes professional installation, all maintenance, parts replacement and unlimited support. Avoid large upfront system purchase costs while still getting access to the latest water treatment innovations.
Contact their water quality specialists to discuss your situation and lock in preferential pricing deals for new system installations combined with tailored finance arrangements to match your budget.
Schedule a Free Sulfur Smell Test
If bothersome rotten egg odors from your taps are making life unpleasant at home, the first step is getting your well water tested by Aqua-Wise's expert local technicians. They offer sulfur testing and inspections to identify what's causing the smell and tailor solutions specifically for your situation.
Their 45-minute visits feature:
Full analysis to measure hydrogen sulfide gas levels and harshness parameters
Inspection for pipe corrosion and leaks releasing sulfur
Testing tap water pH, hardness, iron, manganese and bacteria
Recording home plumbing details
Discussing family's needs, challenges and budget
At the end of the consultation, Aqua-Wise will recommend optimal treatment solutions and provide accurate pricing on equipment, maintenance, warranties and available financing options.
There is no obligation to purchase anything. Aqua-Wise's free water testing program allows making fully informed decisions confidently.
Why Choose Aqua-Wise Water Treatment?
With over 25 years solving Tampa area well water problems, Aqua-Wise Water Treatment Solutions feature exclusive advantages including:
Local Professional Technicians - Their water treatment specialists are based right in the Tampa Bay area and understand how to tackle sulfur issues stemming from the Floridan Aquifer system.
Advanced Testing Capabilities - Their in-house lab uses the latest equipment for comprehensive water analysis to identify root causes and verify treatment effectiveness.
Custom System Engineering - Each filter and treatment component is individually picked to match the customer's source water chemistry and sulfur levels for guaranteed odor removal.
Complete Installation Services - Aqua-Wise handles all fitting and plumbing tasks for treatment methods purchased through them providing a seamless experience.
Total Care Maintenance Plans - Value-priced servicing packages keep systems always running at peak performance for removing sulfur long-term.
Innovative Financing Deals - Special leasing and lending options make effective treatment solutions affordable now for nearly any budget.
Over ten thousand satisfied residential and commercial clients trust Aqua-Wise's water quality improvement solutions in the Tampa region. Learn how their custom treatment systems and maintenance programs can provide your home long-lasting relief from annoying sulfur smell issues.
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