When water smells metallic, it's usually because deposits of iron, zinc, or manganese have leached into it. Iron and manganese naturally occur in most water sources and aren't considered dangerous. Iron and zinc may also leach into your water supply directly from your pipes.
Solution: Use chlorine bleach feed to disinfect the water and kill the iron bacteria, followed by a Pro-OX iron filter.
To get rid of the bad odor, you'll want to contact a plumber to flush and disinfect your tank. Doing so will remove the bacteria and particles that create hydrogen sulfide. During a water heater flush, a plumber can replace your anode rod if it is corroded to prevent the smell in the future.
Just as with cold water, ordinary unscented liquid bleach, commonly sold in grocery stores, is an effective disinfectant for this type of bacteria. As a first step, drain and flush away accumulated sand, sludge, or loose scale from the tank.
If you notice a metallic or bitter taste or smell in your water, it's probably because of increased concentrations of copper or zinc. These tastes or smells are often related to metal fittings, tanks and pipes used in your plumbing.
A metallic smell is typically caused by corrosion of the copper that is used for plumbing in the house. Solution to this plumbing problem: If you haven't used the sink in a while – make a mixture of baking soda and water (ratio should be 1:1), and pour it down your drain.
That dreaded “rotten egg” odor that is isolated to your hot water supply is the result of a chemical reaction in your water heater. Naturally occurring ions in all water supplies called sulfates have a taste for stainless steel, as snacking on it allows them to transform into a gas known as hydrogen sulfide.
An Iron Bacteria Removal system that continually disinfects the water supply can help with bacteria-related corrosion. These Iron Filters maintain a low level of disinfectant (like chlorine) in the water supply. Low disinfectant levels are usually not noticeable, and will keep the “bugs under control”.
Are iron bacteria harmful? Iron bacteria are of no threat to human health. They are found naturally in soils and water in low numbers and will thrive as more iron becomes available. However, the orange slime in the water or leaching from the shore is often considered to be an aesthetic problem.
But rust caused by iron corrosion won't do much more than make the water taste metallic. In high enough concentrations, it can change the color to an orangish-brown color, but still won't be harmful to your health.
This smell is typically caused by sulfate bacteria that can develop within the tank. This issue usually happens when warm water is left too long in the tank and bacteria builds up in the water. This problem can also happen if you have well water and are not treating the water with chlorine in the well.
Remove this terrible smell from your drinking water by: Run the water faucet for a few minutes and the odor should disappear.
No. Generally speaking, boiling water can help to kill the harmful bacteria in drinking water. Other than that, even if the water's temperature rises over 100 degree Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit), it doesn't remove any minerals.
Discoloration – When your water contains iron, you won't see glistening, clear water. Your water will often have a yellow, brown, or red hue as it flows from the tap. Plumbing Clogs – Iron leaves behind a residue in the form of sludge. High iron levels can quickly clog pipes and pumps with telltale reddish slime.
Quick Facts. If your tap water has a metallic taste, it is likely caused by either lower pH levels, or an excess of trace minerals in your water supply, possibly due to rusty city or residential pipes.
Effects on Your Health
Although a low level of iron cannot harm your health, it contains bacteria. In addition to this, high iron in water content leads to an overload which can cause diabetes, hemochromatosis, stomach problems, and nausea. It can also damage the liver, pancreas, and heart.
However, excessive iron in water may have negative effects on your hair and skin. Well water often contains high levels of iron and other minerals. Once absorbed by your hair, these contaminants will cause your hair to develop a darker discoloration and become dry, brittle, and have an awful metallic odor.
Iron bacteria often produce unpleasant tastes and odors commonly reported as: "swampy," "oily," "cucumber," "sewage," "rotten vegetation," or "musty." The taste or odor may be more noticeable if the water is stagnant for some time.
Techniques to remove or reduce iron bacteria include physical removal, pasteurization (injecting steam or hot water into the well and maintaining a water temperature of 140°F/60°C for 30 minutes), and chemical treatment—most commonly well disinfection with chlorine, including shock (super) chlorination.
Loose wiring in electrical water heaters can “short,” meaning its electrical currents take a path that they aren't meant to take. Shorts generate heat, melting the insulative covers on the wires and causing a burning plastic or rubber smell.
The most common reason for metallic tasting water is a high concentration of iron or manganese in the water. Well water in particular is at risk for natural contamination of these minerals. It's also possible for iron to leach into your water supply from corrosion of your pipes.
Washing your hands with soap and water is often enough to make the metallic smell go away. If that doesn't do the trick, try scrubbing your hands with a paste made of baking soda and vinegar and then washing them again with soap and water.