Clack water softener emits a rotten egg or foul odor in the softened water.

Safety: If you suspect bacterial contamination, consider using appropriate disinfectants and follow all label and local code requirements. Do not drink water you believe is contaminated.

Steps:

• Determine source: Test raw water (before softener) and softened water. If odor is only in softened water, the resin bed may be contaminated.
• Sanitize the softener: Follow Clack’s recommended sanitization procedure, typically involving adding a measured amount of household bleach or approved sanitizer to the brine well and running a manual regeneration.
• Increase regeneration frequency: If the softener sits unused for long periods, adjust settings to regenerate more frequently to flush the bed.
• Consider pre-treatment: If raw water has hydrogen sulfide, install an appropriate sulfur filter ahead of the softener. Softener resin alone is not designed to remove high H2S.
• Resin replacement: If odor persists after sanitization, replace the softening resin and thoroughly disinfect the mineral tank and valve internals.

Note: Always flush the system thoroughly after using any disinfectant before returning it to service.