It can be rather scary to see that our tap water starts to taste and smell differently. Sometimes, our water carries a yellow or green tint. We would ask to ourselves whether it is safe to drink. There are many reasons of water contamination, as an example if it has rotten egg smell, then it could be contaminated by sulphur. Hydrogen sulphide is a common cause of water contamination and it is caused by a biological process known as anaerobic digestion. It means that microorganisms are able to break down any organic material, although there’s no oxygen in the area. It could happen if we are living in areas close to swamps or clay mud.
It could also happen if our house is located near sewer. Hydrogen sulphide could actually be flammable and poisonous if it is available in larger amount. It is also a corrosive material and could make holes on metal pipes. In general, a myriad of problems could actually be caused by the accumulation of hydrogen sulphide in our house. Hydrogen sulphide dissipates very easily. In this case, we could fill a big glass with tap water and quickly smell it. The smell should subside significantly in about ten seconds. The smell should be quite similar to rotten egg. If this true, then it is a good idea to fix our water supply.
First of all, we should make sure that the smell of sulphur is present on both cold and hot water. However, the smell is usually stronger with hot water. In this case, we should hire professional installation and well-drilling experts. They may need to replace our water tanks with a fibreglass model that has no bladder. The tank should also have a proper venting system. In some cases, the water could have a higher concentration of iron and we should look for ways to remove it. Another option is to use carbon-based filter to remove smells and pollutants from our well water. However, we should consult professionals about the best way to fix things.
Discolored water could also be found on underground wells. This could happen when high level of iron underneath of house has oxidized the water. If our house is located in swampy areas, our water could also be contaminated by tannic acid. The substance is produced by decayed vegetation. It means that we should perform a test to know whether our water is contaminated with tannic acid or iron acid. If the tap water is immediately discoloured from the tap, then it is probably tannic acid. But if the discoloration increases with time, then we may have iron contamination in our water.
If our water is contaminated by iron, then we may need to install iron filter, so we could alleviate the problem. It won’t be easy if tannic acid contaminates our water supply. In this case, we may need to build tannin beds. This method isn’t the most effective and can be quite expensive. Alternatively, we should get water from local water providers instead.
