It also filters all your water before it reaches your faucet, so you’ll always have access to clean water at every fixture in your home.5.3. This well water filtration system keeps your water supply properly chlorinated at all times, so won’t have to worry about this issue periodically coming back, the way iron bacteria often does. However, the best way to get rid of iron bacteria, and oily film on your water, is with a chlorine injection system like Angel Water’s PurAclear Chlorine Injection and Whole House Filtration System.
We recommend reading through our guide to well water, which includes a section on shock chlorination for eliminating iron bacteria. If you’re dealing with iron bacteria, you’ll want to disinfect the water with chlorine. This way, our licensed plumbers will be able to assess the situation and give you the best recommendation. Still, since there are multiple different ways this substance can enter your water, we recommend you get your water tested and your water system inspected before you invest in new equipment. This is an especially common issue for homeowners who use well water. Excess iron bacteria can come from a well being drilled to close to an untreated pond or lake, or from using a worn-out well pump.Įven though this is unpleasant, this doesn’t typically cause any serious health issues. However, you’ll still probably want to look for a solution so you can enjoy clean, clear water. That creates an oily-looking film, and can also lead to slimy rust-colored iron bacteria deposits.
When iron-containing minerals like limonite or hematite come into contact with iron bacteria, they dissolve, and then when they come into contact with air they oxidize. If you did the stir test and the oily film easily broke apart, it likely means your water has iron-containing minerals and an excess of organic matter. Many people assume that an oily film indicates that there must be oil or some other petroleum product in their water, but that’s often not the case. This is another common cause of oily film on water. If the rotten egg odor only appears when the water is hot, it may also be due to your water heater’s magnesium rod. Alternatively, it could be the result of sulfur bacteria in your pipes. If you have well water, it could be from rotting underground plant material, or because your well is drilled into shale or sandstone, or from nearby coal and oil fields. There are different root causes that could create this issue. These are all indications that your water contains hydrogen sulfide. Black or yellow stains on water fixtures.Corrosion of metals like steel, iron, copper, and brass, which may affect plumbing.Bad taste in food and beverages the water is used in.Rotten egg smells, most present when hot water is first turned on.
However, it does cause many other unpleasant effects, including: Hydrogen sulfide is typically only present in your drinking water in very small concentrations, so it doesn’t pose an immediate health threat. It’s also present in sewage treatment plants, as well as petroleum refineries and pipelines carrying crude oil and natural gas, as these are also sources of naturally-occurring hydrogen sulfide.
It forms when underground deposits of organic matter like plant material decompose. Hydrogen sulfide is a gas that occurs naturally in some groundwater, especially well water.