If your Florida well water smells like rotten eggs, you are dealing with hydrogen sulfide. It is one of the most common water quality complaints in Florida, and the right solution depends on where the sulfide is coming from and at what concentration.
Two Different Sources
Hydrogen sulfide in well water comes from two primary sources. The first is the Floridan Aquifer itself, where sulfate-reducing bacteria and natural geological processes produce hydrogen sulfide in groundwater. The second, and often overlooked, source is the anode rod inside your water heater reacting with sulfate in the water to produce hydrogen sulfide at the tap.
How to Tell the Difference
Run cold water from an outdoor hose bib that bypasses your water heater. If the smell is absent in cold water but present in hot water from indoor taps, your water heater is the source, not the well. Replacing the magnesium anode rod with an aluminum or zinc rod resolves this without any water treatment.
Treatment for Aquifer Hydrogen Sulfide
For actual hydrogen sulfide in the source water, treatment depends on concentration. At low levels (under 1 mg/L), catalytic carbon filtration is effective and low-maintenance. At moderate levels (1 to 5 mg/L), air injection oxidation followed by filtration is the standard approach. At higher concentrations, chemical oxidation with chlorine or hydrogen peroxide followed by carbon filtration is required.
Why DIY Solutions Fail
Pitcher filters and standard carbon blocks do not remove hydrogen sulfide effectively. The right solution requires proper testing to determine concentration and source, followed by correctly sized treatment equipment. Pure Viva tests for hydrogen sulfide as part of a comprehensive well water analysis and installs systems matched to your specific readings.