What causes the occasional taste and odor changes in the water?
Occaisionally there may be a problem associated with construction, a line break, or stagnant build-up in a end-of-line main, but most often the “rotten egg” odors experienced are caused by a reaction of naturally occurring sulfates and micro-organisms in the water that can create hydrogen sulfate, or the “rotten egg” smell. This reaction takes place in water heaters where the temperature range is conducive to the growth of a strain of sulfur-reducing bacteria called desulfovibrio. This problem can most often be cured by flushing and chlorinating your water heater and plumbing lines. See the Water Production>Water Quality page for more information.
