Nobody died. I promise. That smell is just a gas called hydrogen sulfide.
Think of it as the farts of the earth. Literally. Bacteria deep underground eat tiny bits of sulfur in the rock. They burp out this gas.
That burp travels right up into your well. And then, straight into your morning coffee.
The Sneaky Culprits
These bacteria are tiny but mighty. They don’t need oxygen. They live in the dark, wet places you can’t see.
Your water heater can be a party house for them. They love the warm, cozy tank.
They create a sludge. A stinky, slimy film. It’s gross, but it’s also kind of amazing that life thrives in a hot, dark pipe.
