Iron & Sulfur Removal

Iron, manganese, and sulfur are among the most common — and most frustrating — problems in Hill Country well water. They stain everything they touch, leave a smell and taste you can't ignore, and quietly wear down your plumbing and appliances. The good news: with the right filtration, matched to your actual water, they're very fixable. The key word is matched — there's no single "iron filter" that works for every well, which is why we test before we recommend anything.

The tell-tale signs

• Rusty orange, brown, or red stains on sinks, tubs, toilets, and laundry — that's iron. It can streak white shirts, tint hair, and ring the toilet bowl.
• Dark brown or black specks and staining — usually manganese, which often rides along with iron.
• "Rotten egg" smell, especially in the hot water — that's hydrogen sulfide gas (sulfur).
• Metallic taste in your drinking water and a bitter edge to coffee and tea.
• Slimy, reddish-brown buildup in toilet tanks, fixtures, or the water softener — a sign of iron bacteria.

Same symptom, different problems

"Iron staining" can have several very different causes, and each one calls for a different fix. Treating the wrong one is why so many homeowners see their stains come right back:

• Ferrous ("clear-water") iron — dissolved iron that's invisible at the tap, then turns orange after the water sits and meets air. It needs to be oxidized and filtered out.
• Ferric ("red-water") iron — iron that's already oxidized into rust particles, so the water looks red or yellow straight from the tap. This needs filtration sized for those particles.
• Manganese — behaves like iron but stains black/brown and often needs a slightly higher pH or stronger oxidation to remove.
• Hydrogen sulfide — the dissolved gas behind the rotten-egg odor, frequently tied to sulfur bacteria in the well or water heater.
• Iron bacteria — living organisms that feed on iron and create that slimy buildup. These usually call for chlorination or shock treatment, not just a standard filter.

How iron & sulfur are treated

Once we know what we're dealing with, we right-size one of a few proven approaches — or a combination — to your well:

• Air-injection / oxidizing filters — our most common solution for iron and sulfur. The system introduces air or another oxidizer so the iron, manganese, and sulfide convert to a filterable form, then traps them in a media bed that backwashes itself clean. Great for clear-water iron, red-water iron, manganese, and rotten-egg odor.
• A water softener — can remove low levels of dissolved iron as a side benefit while it tackles hardness. It's not a substitute for an iron filter when levels are higher or bacteria are present, but on the right well it's a clean, economical fit.
• Chlorination plus contact and filtration — when iron bacteria or stubborn sulfur are in play, controlled chlorine injection followed by filtration knocks them out and removes the byproducts.
• Sediment pre-treatment — a pre-filter to capture grit and rust particles so the main system runs cleaner and lasts longer.

Our process

We keep it straightforward and honest:

• 1. Free on-site water screening. We come to you and check the basics — hardness, TDS, chlorine, and iron — right at your tap. (This is a screening to size your treatment, not a certified drinking-water safety lab test.)
• 2. Diagnosis. We identify the iron type, the odor source, and whether bacteria are likely, so we know exactly what we're solving.
• 3. Right-sized system. You get an honest, flat quote for a system matched to your water and your household — no one-size-fits-all upsell.
• 4. Clean install. We install it properly, set it up, and show you how it runs.

Because iron and bacteria can change over time, the EPA recommends well owners also get periodic certified-lab testing for bacteria and nitrates. We're glad to point you to a state-certified lab when that's the next step.

What it costs

New treatment systems start with that free water test, then an honest flat quote — no charge for the visit. For service or repair on existing equipment, our flat $150 service call covers the trip and a full diagnosis only; any repair (parts and labor) is quoted separately and approved by you before we do the work. See the full price sheet.

Frequently asked questions

Will a water softener remove iron from my well water?

A softener can handle low levels of dissolved (ferrous) iron as a bonus to softening, but it isn't built to be an iron filter. Higher iron, oxidized (ferric) iron, manganese, sulfur odor, or iron bacteria will foul a softener. For those, you need a dedicated iron/sulfur filter — often installed ahead of the softener. The water test tells us which path is right.

What causes the rotten-egg smell?

That's hydrogen sulfide gas, often produced by sulfur bacteria in the well or water heater. It's usually worst in hot water. An oxidizing or air-injection filter removes the gas; if the smell is only in the hot water, the water heater itself may need attention. We pinpoint the source during diagnosis.

Why do my iron stains keep coming back?

Recurring stains almost always mean the system was undersized, set for the wrong type of iron, or that iron bacteria are present and need a different approach like chlorination. The fix is correct testing — iron type, level, pH, and bacteria — so the system truly matches your water.

Do I still need lab testing if you do a free water test?

Our free on-site screening checks hardness, TDS, chlorine, and iron so we can size the right treatment. It is not a certified drinking-water safety test. The EPA recommends well owners also get periodic certified-lab testing for bacteria and nitrates, performed by a state-certified lab.

We serve well and city-water homes across San Antonio, Boerne, Bulverde, Spring Branch, New Braunfels, and Canyon Lake. Locally owned, licensed & insured, with 20+ years of experience treating Hill Country water.