Q: My well water has always been hard. The hot water heater I recently replaced had inches of small white chunks of what I think was lime.
A few months ago it started smelling really bad. It’s a rotten egg smell that we can hardly stand. The more water we use, the worse it gets.
Will a water softener remove the odour?
I have lived here 18 years but the odour problem is relatively new.
A: In recent columns, I have written about odours in hot water tanks. If the rotten egg odour, which is hydrogen sulfide gas, is only in the hot water, then you may want to remove the anode rod located in the centre of the tank. The rod is made of magnesium and is included to control corrosion. However, it can chemically reduce naturally occurring sulfates to hydrogen sulfide that causes the odour.
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A plumber can remove the rod, but it might have implications for the tank’s warranty. Consult with your plumber about alternative rods.
To control this problem without removing the anode rod, you must chlorinate your water on a continuous basis. You must maintain a chlorine level of one to two parts per million for effective control of the rotten egg odour.
Installing a water softener will not completely remove the odour, but it will help eliminate the calcium and magnesium deposits that build up on the bottom of the tank.
Q: Our troubles started after we replaced our electric hot water heater with a natural gas model. Rust stains are now ruining clothing, dishes and bathroom fixtures. Our water supply is from a dugout.
Is this anode rod in the tank a new addition to hot water heaters and what is the purpose? If there is lots of grief from this anode rod, then why can’t there be models available without it for us rural folks? Just how much trouble does it take to remove this rod from our tank? We live quite a distance from any plumber. Could we remove it ourselves?
A: Anode rods are not a new addition to hot water heaters and their purpose is to prevent corrosion and extend the life of the unit.
Odour is not a problem in hot water heaters where a continuous supply of chlorine is present in the water. Chlorine will control this problem.
I believe there are tankless hot water heaters that do not have the anode rod.
It is my understanding that all hot water heaters with a storage tank have the anode rod. I suggest you contact your nearest plumber and they will be able to instruct you properly over the telephone on how to remove the anode rod.
Consult with your plumber about alternative rods.
Chlorination options
Q: I read in the Western Producer you are recommending a continuous chlorination system to alleviate iron and manganese problems.
Is there another system on the market other than the dry type pellets?
I know of people who have bought this type of chlorinator and it ruined their submersible pumps. The problem is those pellets do not totally dissolve and a sludge builds up over time, which fills the screen and encases the pump.
The result is the motor either burns out or the pump vanes prematurely wear out.
Is there an automatic system that can monitor the water and then add a proper liquid dosage to chlorinate the system?
Liquid or dry?
A: The most common methods of chlorinating a water supply is to use either sodium hypochlorite, which is liquid chlorine, or calcium hypochlorite, which is dry chlorine.
Chlorine is the most common chemical for effectively oxidizing iron and manganese in a water supply.
It is an effective disinfectant.
I do not recommend any type of automatic dry pellet chlorination system on wells with a diameter less than 10 inches.
Dry pellet systems that are fed down a drilled well can indeed cause a problem with pellets becoming lodged between the pump and the well casing.
In down-the-well applications, dry pellet chlorination works well in large diameter bored wells. For this to be effective, I recommend installing an agitator pump to dissolve the pellets faster.
I have recommended systems that use liquid chlorine in a down-the-well application. The system has to be set up to protect the liquid chemical feed pump from the weather. I recommend building a heated shed over the well head.
Most of the systems that I have designed for farms, acreages, villages and towns on a commercial scale have incorporated a liquid chlorine injection system.
I also recommend that customers who wish to use the dry pellet system chlorinate the water into a retention tank located in the basement and then install a pressure system followed by a properly sized filter system.
If you have a specific water problem and would like advice, write to the Water Clinic, attention Philip Stadnyk, 850-47th St. E. Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 0X4, send an e-mail to philip@ thewaterclinic.com or phone 800-664-2561. Stadnyk is president of the Water Clinic and a member of the Canadian Water Quality Association. His views do not necessarily reflect those of The Western Producer.
