How Do I Know If I Have Iron Bacteria in My Well?

Iron bacteria produce a distinctive orange, red, or brown slime that appears in toilet tanks, on filter cartridges, and around faucet aerators. The slime has a musty or swampy odor. Iron bacteria are not a health hazard but they foul water treatment equipment, clog pipes, and make water taste and smell unpleasant. Treatment involves shock chlorination of the well followed by installation of the appropriate filtration system. We test for iron bacteria on every water quality call.