The two main causes of well water smelling like metal are excessive amounts of heavy metals or hard water minerals and rusty or corroded pipes.
If your water smells like metal, stop drinking it immediately, as continuing to do so may put you at risk of numerous health issues. We’ll share what you can do to fix the issue, but before we get into the details, here’s a tabular view of the different causes of a metal smell in well water with a summary of the solutions.
| Reason for Metallic Smell & Taste | Solution |
| Metallic minerals (lead, copper, iron, and manganese or hard water minerals) | Install a well water filter system. We recommend the Springwell iron filter to remove iron & manganese or the Springwell Whole house lead filter to remove lead. Also, consider installing a water softener if you have hard water minerals in your water. |
| Rust | Detect & replace corroded pipes, then install a water filter system. We recommend Springwell iron filter. |
First, Get Your Water Tested
The first step is to get your water tested, as this will reveal the exact amount/concentration of metals in the water. You can collect and send water samples from the well (and faucets) to an EPA-certified lab for testing.
The lab result will determine the next steps, which will most likely require installing a well water filtration system or completely replacing rusted pipes (if rust is the culprit).
You can also use an at-home DIY test kit to test your well water. These kits are more affordable than lab test kits and are really easy to use. However, they’re nowhere near as accurate as lab tests, so we always recommend using a lab test if you can afford it.
If you need to get a well water filtration system, we recommend the Springwell WS1. Springwell is one of the leading water filter brands on the market, and the WS1 can remove up to 7 PPM of iron and 1 PPM of manganese from well water, which are the leading causes of metallic smells in well water.
Why Water Smells Like Metal
There are two main causes of metallic smells in water:
- Excessive amounts of heavy metals or hard water minerals
- Rusty pipes within your plumbing system
Let’s take a close look at these two issues and tell you how to resolve them.
Excess Lead, Iron, Manganese, and Other Heavy Metals
If your water smells like metal, it most likely contains excessive amounts of heavy metals such as lead, copper, iron, and manganese.
These metals are a concern for wells dug in mineral-rich areas, and the degree of contamination varies depending on the location. Even if your well doesn’t sit in a mineral-rich location, these metals can still get into the water through surface runoff after flood or heavy rainfall.
Hard water minerals like calcium and magnesium can also cause well water to smell and taste like metal. These minerals enter wells in the same ways that heavy metals do, and high concentrations are also commonly found in wells dug in mineral-rich areas.
Associated Health Concerns
If your well water contains high levels of calcium and magnesium, this won’t present any health concerns. However, these minerals make the water “hard,” which can negatively affect the skin and hair by making them dry and dull. In some extreme cases, this may lead to skin irritation and itching.
They can also cause scale buildup in pipes and appliances, affecting water pressure and decreasing appliances’ efficiency over time.
Iron and manganese are regulated by the EPA under the National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations and pose no health threat so long as they’re within the allowable limit. However, excessive and prolonged manganese consumption may negatively affect motor skills, attention, and memory.
Long-term exposure to lead via drinking water can lead to brain, nervous system, and kidney issues. Prolonged exposure to iron in drinking water can cause organ damage and gastrointestinal issues.
The allowable limit for iron in water is 0.3 mg/L, while the threshold for manganese is 0.05 mg/L. Only 15 µg/L of lead is allowed in water.
Solutions to Excess Heavy Metals and Minerals in Water
Iron and manganese can be very difficult to remove from water—they require a well-water filtration system built specifically for this purpose. We recommend the Springwell WS1, which is currently the best iron and manganese water filter on the market.
To remove lead, we suggest the Springwell Whole House Lead Filter, as it can remove up to 99.95% of lead from well water.
Installing a water softener can easily remove calcium and magnesium from your well water. We recommend the SpringWell Water Softener system, as it’s the best salt-based water softener for hard water. It uses ion exchange tech to remove 100% of hard water minerals from well water.
A decent lead, iron, and manganese water filter system costs $1000-$2000, while a water softener can cost $1000-$1,500 or up to $2000 in some cases.
Corroded Water Pipes
If you test a sample of water taken directly from your well and find no signs of excessive heavy metal contamination, the issue lies elsewhere.
In this case, the metallic smell and taste are most likely a) the result of rusty pipes leaching rust into your water supply as water travels from your well into your home or b) corroded copper or lead pipes leaching tiny metal particles into the water as they pass through them.
Even if you install a water filter that purifies the water before it enters your home, the purified water can still get contaminated by heavy metals if it flows through corroded pipes. This is why you should always test water samples from the well and a faucet inside the house.
Rust is the common name for iron oxide (Fe2O3), a complex form of iron consisting of oxides and hydroxides of iron. It occurs when the oxygen from air and moisture combine and oxides the iron surface (e.g., pipes).
Plumbing systems that use galvanized steel or cast iron are more susceptible to rust and corrosion over time. Although less common, well casings made of stainless steel can also leech rust into the well.
Associated Health Concerns
If the metallic taste/smell is caused by rusty pipes, it’s not usually a health risk. However, the same can’t be said for copper and lead.
If lab results show contamination by lead or copper in your water sample, you should immediately stop consuming the water, as these two heavy metals are associated with many health hazards.
According to the EPA, lead presence is not safe in drinking water. It can negatively impact children’s neural and mental development and cause kidney problems and high blood pressure in adults. Immuno-compromised people can also suffer from stomach issues, anemia, or memory loss after lead intake.
Although 1.3 mg/L of copper is allowed in drinking water by the EPA, it’s not exactly safe to consume. In the short term, it can cause gastrointestinal distress, while the long-term effects of copper consumption include kidney and liver diseases.
People with chronic diseases and vulnerable immune systems may also experience severe headaches, diarrhea, and vomiting from consuming copper.
Solutions to Rust and Corrosion
Depending on local regulations, PEX, PVC, and copper are the most common water pipes in modern homes. If corroded water pipes are leeching rust into the water, the best solution is to replace them. When replacing pipes, you should seek guidance from a professional plumber.
If the corrosion is from your well casing, you should consider replacing it with PVC casing. PVC casing costs around $6 per ft, which is significantly cheaper than the $130 per ft stainless steel casing.
Final Thoughts
If your well water smells like metal, it’s most likely due to excessive amounts of heavy metals or hard water minerals. Or, it might be caused by rusty or corroded piping within your plumbing system.
If the issue is caused by heavy metals, you should install a water filter that’s specifically designed to remove them. If it’s caused by hard water minerals, you’ll need to install a water softener.
The only solution to rusty or corroded pipes is to replace them. Unless you have extensive plumbing experience, we highly recommend hiring a professional to do this for you.
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I found this article on dealing with a metal taste and smell in well water very helpful. The tips provided for identifying and addressing the issue are practical and easy to understand. Thank you to the author for sharing this valuable information and helping homeowners tackle this common problem. Great job!