Rotten Egg Smell While On City Water

[VA Traveler]

I am getting rotten egg smell while using city water. Happens when first turning on any faucet or shower (cold or hot). Dissipates after a few minutes. Fresh water tank valve closed & grey tanks open. Have been in place for the past 45 days and did not occur until approximately 25-30 days into stay.

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

[wmtire]

Do you have a water filter? It could need replacing.

You may need to go ahead and sanitize the water system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCLo...830fMCPJ3ptLTr

[NavyLCDR]

Also if the water heater has a magnesium anode rod, switching it to a zinc-aluminum anode rod will help on the hot water side. Not the cold water side, though.

[Flybob]

The smell is the result of the nitrates in the water being acted upon by bacteria ( not harmful) in the plumbing. This process occurs all the time, however when there are high nitrate levels in the water it is noticeable. Likely your city water is actually from a well and recent rains have increased the nitrate levels in the water. The reaction is also accelerated by the hot weather.

[TitanMike]

Like mentioned earlier, sounds like city water is coming from a well.

Here's some reading on Nitrates/Nitrites in water supplies.
https://communityenvironment.unl.edu...drinking-water

A good water filter with Carbon Block element can help with the smell. For drinking a filter similar to a Brita will probably be required to deal with the Nitrites as well as other contaminants.

[lwbfl]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Like mentioned earlier, sounds like city water is coming from a well.

Here's some reading on Nitrates/Nitrites in water supplies.
https://communityenvironment.unl.edu...drinking-water

A good water filter with Carbon Block element can help with the smell. For drinking a filter similar to a Brita will probably be required to deal with the Nitrites as well as other contaminants.

It all comes from a well, not sure what that means.



Check the water at the bib, make sure it's not the water, not your camper. I know we stayed in Jacksonville FL and on day 6 the water suddenly had a terrible sulfur smell. If not, sanitize your system and don't forget the water heater!

[Daniel.mullins4]

Rotting egg odor is sulfide gassing off from the water, we have a water well with this issue, something in the well source is consuming the oxygen, could be iron bacteria or some organic compounds, yes carbon filter may remove this odor, no known health effects from the issue.

[Tom48]

For me it has always been,, MOSTLY,, the accumulation of material in the water heater. Should have new anode rod and a good flush of water heater at least once a year, if not more often.

[NJBreeze]

But a little bleach in the fresh water tank, 1/2 cup then half fill it and then leave it for a few days . Run it through entire system.

You could also try chlorine which is what they often put in wells but I don't know how much.

Note in both cases that now your drinking bottled water which is probably what you should be doing anyways. I doubt any campground has their water tested and if they are on a septic system that is more reason to drink bottled water.

Also once a year use the grey tank deodorizer. Put it in, half fill the tanks and leave it for a few days. I have smelled grey tanks that are worse than black tanks from people likely rinsing food down the drain which is a total no-no.

[PhilFromMaine]

I had this problem on my first camping this this year. I put the water in a clear glass and there was a noticeable discoloration (and smell) co.mpared to the water coming out of the "city water" connection from the campground.

In my case it appeared to be my water filter. A change of the filter and a purging of the pipes solved the problem.

Those blue water filters are only good for a set period of time. I believe it is less than 6 months. I have never cut one open to see what is in it, but I assume water stays in it over time and is subject to bacteria build up just like anything else and probably a lot worse.

[Bob K4TAX]

If on city-treated water, the chlorine kills any micro plant growth in the water. The decaying plant growth begins to smell. This occurs when water sits or is contained for a period of time.

To wit: Get a suitable container with a lid, such as a fruit jar, fill it 2/3 full of water, and put the lid on tight. In about 2 or 3 days, take the lid off and take a whiff. PEW.....it will stink.

Same thing happening to your plumbing system. The solution is to flush the system with fresh water.

Bob

[mikewindjammer]

Originally Posted by PhilFromMaine

I had this problem on my first camping this this year. I put the water in a clear glass and there was a noticeable discoloration (and smell) co.mpared to the water coming out of the "city water" connection from the campground.

In my case it appeared to be my water filter. A change of the filter and a purging of the pipes solved the problem.

Those blue water filters are only good for a set period of time. I believe it is less than 6 months. I have never cut one open to see what is in it, but I assume water stays in it over time and is subject to bacteria build up just like anything else and probably a lot worse.

I always hang the filter on the door edge to drain when breaking camp. I also save and replace the plastic shipping caps while in storage.

[Aussieguy]

Originally Posted by lwbfl

It all comes from a well, not sure what that means.



Check the water at the bib, make sure it's not the water, not your camper. I know we stayed in Jacksonville FL and on day 6 the water suddenly had a terrible sulfur smell. If not, sanitize your system and don't forget the water heater!

Not all water is the same
some comes from mountain streams then into dams and is pumped to houses .... usually great tasting water

Florida gets most of it's water from a limestone aquifer ,
Hawaii volcanic rock aquifer
it is good stuff too .... a lot of the bottled water comes from there


Mississippi River water ... not named "Ole Muddy" for nuthin.
full of silt and nasty stuff from people upstream
treated... it tastes OK ... BUT

Inland well water... I won't drink it
I won't even if it is filtered just in case the filter leaked!