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-   -   Oily or 'hot' smell coming from water after replacing well water pump (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=222106)

  • Jun 1, 2008, 01:44 PM
    karenmrideout
    Oily or 'hot' smell coming from water after replacing well water pump
    My husband and I had to replace our water pump after it ceased and died on us this past Friday night!
    Ever since we replaced the well pump with a new Gould 1/2 hp we have been noticing an oily or hot smell coming from our taps... doesnt matter if it's the kitchen or the bathroom sink or shower... it all smells oily or hot... hot or cold.
    My husband went to the shed where the old broken well water pump is currently being stored and he said THAT smelled like our water does now.
    We did not have this problem before this water pump died.. we only noticed it after replacing it. But the old pump smells like out water?
    Should we get our water tested for some sort of contamination? The water is clear and does not have any 'floaties' or discoloration... just smells funny. It does not smell at all like there is a sulphur issue. Everyone knows that smells like eggs!
    Thanks for any help you can provide us. We are currently not using the water for consumption... only using it for showers, laundry, toilet, etc.
    Thanks for your help. We are getting concerned we will need to dump even more money into this already costly repair!!

    Karen:(
  • Jun 1, 2008, 03:42 PM
    speedball1
    Hi Karen,
    The question seems to be is this coming from the new pump or did the old pump leak oil into the waqter system?
    The first thing I would attempt to ascertain is whether the taste is in your well or the house piping or both. On top ofg the impeller cage is a small plug or gage. Shut the pump off at5 the breaker ande open up a cold water faucet and bleed t5he pressure down to a small stream. STOP! Close the faucet and remove the plug/gage and fill a glass from the opening. Tell me what it smells like? Waiting on you, Tom,
  • Jun 1, 2008, 06:05 PM
    karenmrideout
    Hi Tom, my husband and I read your response and are really not sure what you mean in the description of the test that we should perform. Our well pump is 200 feet below ground. We are, however, thinking that the smell is coming from something that happened during the breaking down of our old pump before we pulled it out of the well. My husband wants to know what Iron would smell like in water.
    We do agree that it's quite probable that the smell is coming from something that was emitted from the old pump. What about burning wires inside the pump?
    I will say that tonight, the water seems to be smelling a little less 'stinky'.
    Earlier today, around 10 am-ish, we filled an 8 oz glass with water and it had the oily/hot smell... we let it sit all day and we checked in again around 7 tonight and seemed to not smell at all.
    I am wondering if we need to take a 'wait and see' approach to see if maybe the old pump contaminated the water and it will just take a little time to filter out that water. The pump was broken from around 5 am to 9 pm... the old pump was in the well all day until my husband got home at 2 and pulled it out.. that would give it plenty of time to emit any oil or burned wire remnants into the well, you think?

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