Why does my water smell like rotten eggs?

A rotten-egg or sulfur smell in your water usually comes from a reaction between the anode rod in your water heater and naturally occurring bacteria in the tank, especially if it affects mainly the hot water. Flushing the tank and replacing the anode rod often resolves it.

If the odor is in both hot and cold water, the source may be the water supply itself, which a filtration system can address. And if you smell sulfur or gas in the air rather than in the water, treat it as a possible gas leak — leave and call your gas utility first.

We can help pinpoint whether it's the water heater, the supply, or something else, and recommend the fix that actually removes the smell rather than masking it.