Hydrogen Sulfide in Water
September 25, 2025

You always hope that when you turn on the tap, the water will be crystal clear, totally clean, and, well, smell like nothing. But sometimes an uninvited guest crashes the party and makes its presence known with a tell-tale stink: hydrogen sulfide. If your water occasionally hits your nose with that distinct “rotten egg” smell, you’re not alone. Figuring out what’s causing it and what to do is a big step towards getting your water exactly where you want it – top-notch.

So, What's Hydrogen Sulfide All About?

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a gas you can’t see, but you can smell it! It’s the same stuff that gives rotten eggs their smell. In your water, it pops up because of a couple of common reasons. Picture this: groundwater seeps through the earth, picking up minerals along the way. If those minerals contain sulfur and they find themselves in an environment with no oxygen, which is pretty common underground, certain types of “sulfur bacteria” get to work. These little microbes are clever. They