Water Smells Like Rotten Eggs in Coral Springs

Quick check: where is the smell?

• Hot water only: the water heater.
• Hot and cold, every tap: the supply, most often a well.
• One sink: often the drain. Fill a glass, walk away from the sink and smell the water.

Hydrogen sulfide is a known groundwater issue here

The Biscayne Aquifer groundwater that Coral Springs providers draw on can carry dissolved gases. CSID's water quality report explains it directly: reverse osmosis does not remove dissolved gases such as hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide, so after the membranes, the water flows through degasification towers. The same report lists removal of hydrogen sulfide, "which has a rotten egg odor," among the treatment goals.

That treatment happens at the plant, so city water normally reaches you without the smell. A private well gets none of it.

City water homes: the water heater

A tank water heater contains a sacrificial anode rod, often magnesium, that can react with sulfate and bacteria in warm, low-flow water. It shows up more in seasonal homes or after a vacation. A licensed plumber can flush the tank, change the anode to a different alloy or install a powered anode. Removing the anode entirely can affect the heater's warranty.

Not the same as the July chlorine smell

Each July the four Coral Springs providers temporarily change their chlorination method; in 2026, July 13 to 27. During those weeks you may notice a chlorine taste or odor, which is different from a sulfur smell and goes away afterward.

Well water treatment options

• Aeration releases the gas in a tank before water enters the house.
• Oxidizing filtration turns sulfide and iron into particles a filter traps.
• Carbon handles very light odors only.

See aeration vs. filtration for sulfur smells and well water systems.

What to test

For a well: hydrogen sulfide, iron, manganese, pH and hardness on site, plus bacteria at a certified lab. For city water: Jorge checks a cold tap and then the hot side, so you know whether the heater is the source before anything is sold. If cold city water smells at every tap, call your provider.

Who fixes what

• Water heater: a licensed plumber.
• Well: treatment configured from the well's test; Living Water installs well water systems.
• Cold city water at every tap: your provider. If you are unsure which one, use the city's Water Districts map.

For a seasonal home, running every hot tap for several minutes after you arrive, and setting a reasonable water heater temperature, can reduce how often the smell returns. Ask your plumber what is appropriate for your heater.

Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist