Sulfur content in my well water is a little high
Q:
If the sulfur content in my well water is a little high, is it still safe to drink?
Q:
Sulfur is not regulated as a primary drinking-water contaminant, so
there is no official level of sulfur that represents a threshold between
healthy and unhealthy concentrations. Sulfur is required by all living
things as part of their normal metabolism, so the body needs a certain
amount of sulfur just to live. Any adverse effects of sulfur in drinking
water appear to be related to the following issues:
1. Hydrogen
sulfide (H2S) is sometimes present in well water. A few tenths of a
milligram of hydrogen sulfide per liter can cause drinking water to have
a rotten-egg odor. A high content of Hydrogen Sulfide gas may have
health consequences and it it recommended to have a water test to
determine the amount of this gas present in your water. Hydrogen sulfide
gas is flammable in high concentrations so, knowing the amount in your
water is a recommended safety precaution. There is no government agency
regulating the amount of hydrogen sulfide gas in drinking water through
MCL's because it is not an issue for municipal water treatment plants
and is generally driven off through the digestion process if present.
2.
High concentrations of sulfate (SO4--) may be associated with diarrhea
or intestinal gas. For this reason, and for aesthetic reasons related to
taste and odor, the Environmental Protection Agency currently has a
secondary drinking-water standard of 250 milligrams per liter (mg/L)
sulfate.
3. Some waters with elevated sulfate also tend to have
low pH (as in acid mine drainage). The pH of water is usually checked
when well water is tested. A pH in the range of 7 - 7.8 is most
desirable by most consumers.