Common Water Odor Problems

Smelly Water? Kinetico® can remove water odors and provide great tasting water.

  • Water odors are unpleasant

    Nobody wants to drink water that smells like rotten eggs or a wet dog. Water odors not only make our drinking water unappetizing, but they can also affect our dishwashers, washing machines, and other appliances, leaving our clothes and dishes smelling musty or metallic, too.

  • Water odors can signal danger

    Although water odors typically don’t cause harm, those caused by dangerous bacteria or high levels of metals can be indicative of an unsafe water supply. Not dealing with smelly drinking water can put your family’s health and safety at risk.

  • Water odors can affect food

    Not only can your water taste off, but foods prepared with unpleasant-smelling water can also become unpalatable. Foods like pasta and rice that absorb water during the cooking process can take on the rotten egg, metallic, bleach, or musty odors present in your water, leading to an unappetizing dining experience.

  • Water odors can harm the environment

    One of the main reasons why people begin buying bottled water is that their tap water smells or tastes unpleasant. Bottled water is not only much more expensive than filtered tap water, but the plastic from bottled water wreaks havoc on our environment. Water filtration systems are much more efficient and cost-effective than bottled water.

filling a glass of water

Water Odor Solutions

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Sulfur Guard

Speciality Water
Filter
  • Speciality filter
  • Dual tank system
  • Energy efficient
  • Performance guarantee
Specialty Water Filters
premier xp series water treatment system

Premier Series

Home Water Softener + Iron & Odor Filters
  • Affordable filtration
  • High capacity and Energy efficient
  • Performance guarantee
  • 10-year warranty
Reverse Osmosis

What’s in Your Water?

Even if your water looks clean, it may contain hidden contaminants. Minerals like calcium and magnesium cause hard water, while iron, chlorine, and sulfur create unpleasant odors and stains. In some cases, harmful bacteria or heavy metals can also be present.

What's Your Water Score?

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FAQs About Water Odors


Smelling an unfamiliar odor in your drinking water can be an unpleasant surprise. Although it’s difficult to accurately determine the cause of odors in drinking water by smell alone, the type of odor you detect can give you a clue as to what has compromised your water supply.


If you notice a rotten egg smell in your tap water, you likely have hydrogen sulfide in your water supply. Hydrogen sulfide is an invisible gas that is commonly found deep in the ground, meaning households that get their water from a groundwater supply are at a higher risk of receiving water that is laced with hydrogen sulfide. This gas can also appear in water that contains sulfide-reducing bacteria.

Some families notice the rotten egg smell is only present when hot water is used. This can occur with bacterial issues in the water heater, but hydrogen sulfide is also easier to smell at hotter temperatures.


Metallic smells in drinking water are usually caused by metals themselves in your water supply. Iron, manganese, zinc, and copper are common culprits, and they can be found in water supplies that rely on older plumbing systems or corroded plumbing parts. Iron and manganese can also appear in water supplies that are sourced from groundwater, as they are both naturally occurring in soil and rocks.


Many municipalities use chlorine to kill bacteria, viruses, and parasites to keep drinking water safe while it is being stored. Over-chlorinated water can smell like bleach or a chlorinated pool, yielding an off-putting glass of water. High concentrations of chlorine can also corrode rubber parts that line your appliances, leading to costly repairs down the line.


Musty Smell or Wet Dog Smell

If your water smells musty or has a wet dog smell, the likely culprit in your drinking water is algae. Surface water can harbor algae and other decayed vegetation that give off a distinct musty smell and taste. If your musty-smelling water also contains visible sediment, your drinking water may contain corroded metals too.


Typically, smelly drinking water is more unpleasant than unsafe, but that doesn’t mean you should put off fixing the issue. In some cases, odors are caused by dangerous bacteria, high concentrations of toxic metals, or other serious contaminants. It can be risky to assume that your drinking water is still safe to consume when odors are present.

The best way to tell if your water supply is still safe to consume is by having a trusted professional conduct a water analysis.

At Aquarius Home Services, we offer free in-home water tests to analyze the quality of your drinking water. From there, we will work with you to create a cost-effective solution that will keep your home’s water safe and free from unpleasant odors and tastes.


Fortunately, you and your family are not stuck with smelly drinking water. After your free in-home water test determines what contaminants are causing these odors, one of our outstanding team members will help you decide on an affordable yet comprehensive solution that will supply your entire household with clear, odor-free, great-tasting water.

One of our best options is the Kinetico K5® Drinking Water System. This device filters out 99% of contaminants by using reverse osmosis filtration technology. Some of these contaminants include:

  • Iron
  • Manganese
  • Sulfur
  • Chlorine
  • Arsenic
  • Bacteria
  • Viruses
  • Tannins
  • PFOA and PFAs
  • Acidity
  • And much, much more.

Despite having up to 9 stages of filtration, this device is small enough to fit under your sink. The Kinetico K5® Drinking Water System also comes with a 10-year warranty, so you know you will get your money’s worth out of this water treatment system.


Aquarius Home Services has served families in Minnesota and Wisconsin for over three decades. We are passionate about providing you and your family with safe, great-tasting water 24 hours a day.

Our dedicated, detail-oriented staff provides efficient and professional service, and we strive to get the job done right the first time.

We also believe that every family deserves to have clean, contaminant-free water, so we will work with you to find the most cost-efficient water treatment options that fit within your budget.