Water Heaters - Rotten egg smell hot water

Did a lot of research on this, I have a 50gal hot water heater in a new home on city water. The first 5 months were fine then the hot water began to smell and got so bad we did not take showers. Found out I had a Magnesium rod that needed top be replaced. So a aluminium rod was installed and the system bleached. OK for 1 month now the smell is coming back. So I bleached the system again and the hot water heater went out, no hot water, called the plumber and he put in a new heating element, the old one had a big hole in it. It is only 10 months old?
So what is the smell now?

Brian

Did a lot of research on this, I have a 50gal hot water heater in a new home on city water. The first 5 months were fine then the hot water began to smell and got so bad we did not take showers. Found out I had a Magnesium rod that needed top be replaced. So a aluminium rod was installed and the system bleached. OK for 1 month now the smell is coming back. So I bleached the system again and the hot water heater went out, no hot water, called the plumber and he put in a new heating element, the old one had a big hole in it. It is only 10 months old?
So what is the smell now?

Brian
Around here rotten egg smell is from high sulphur content in the water. There are treatment systems that take the sulphur out. We are on city water that is treated so we don't have the problem, but anybody around here on a private well needs a treatment system.

I have city water that is treated.

I agree with the thought that sulfur is the culprit and possibly some other minerals. A good carbon filter system is astep in the right direction.Incorporating mutiple water purification technologies might be an even better attempt. There's UV treatment, particle filtration and carbon filters to name a few. I was searching on line and found a system that has 5 tech in one linked here http://www.houseneeds.com/shop/waterfilters/wholehousewaterfiltersmain.asp

Divibrio Sulfurcans seems to be the most common cause here in Chicago, and "shock chlorination" is the suggested cure.

Below are two links to AO Smith White papers I reference in home inspection reports when we see this problem:

http://www.hotwater.com/bulletin/bulletin22.pdf
http://www.hotwater.com/bulletin/bulletin23.pdf

I installed a wholehouse filter using a carbon filter on the cold line going to the water heater for a friend. The filter lasts a month, due to not treating the whole house system. Good luck!