Sulfur/Hydrogen Sulfide (Rotten Egg Odor)

Knowing About the Water
Sulfur/Hydrogen Sulfide (Rotten Egg Odor)

In some regions of the United States, the appearance of Hydrogen Sulfide in water sources can be seasonal. For example, in the New England area, Hydrogen Sulfide shows up in the spring and the fall, when the water tables tend to be at their highest levels. Hydrogen Sulfide frequently occurs in well water sources that also contain appreciable levels of Iron, especially along the Eastern US Coastal plains. 

These anaerobic, single cell Sulfide-reducing bacteria can exist in home piping systems, especially on the hot water side. It is more noticeable on the first hot water drawn in the morning. 

There is never any doubt as to when it is present due to its offensive “rotten egg odor”. Hydrogen Sulfide promotes corrosion due to its activity as a weak acid. Furthermore, its presence in the air causes silver to tarnish in a matter of seconds. High concentrations of Hydrogen Sulfide gas are both poisonous and flammable. While these concentrations are rare, their presence in drinking water has been known to cause nausea, illness and in extreme cases death.