Dry, Itchy Skin After Showering in Cutler Bay

The water side of the question

Cutler Bay's water comes from WASD's Orr plant, where it is lime-softened and disinfected with chloramine; the 2025 report lists 2.5 ppm on the main system. Chloramine is there to keep the water protected in the pipes, and it is within the limit. Some people simply prefer showering without it. Hardness, which Orr reduces but does not eliminate, can leave soap residue that some people notice on skin and hair.

Other things that affect how skin feels

• Hot, long showers.
• Soaps and shampoos.
• Air conditioning and indoor humidity.
• Sun and salt exposure, common near the bay.
• Skin conditions that need a dermatologist.

Water is one factor among several. A test tells you whether it is worth addressing.

What a test shows

Jorge measures total and free chlorine in the shower water and hardness at your tap. If the chloramine reading is the main difference you notice, a filter is the relevant tool. If hardness is high, a softener might be discussed. If both are low, he will say so and you can look elsewhere.

He also asks how long the issue has been going on and whether it changed when you moved into the house. A change that started with a move points toward the water or the home's plumbing; a change that came with a new soap, season or medication points elsewhere.

Options for the whole house

• A whole-home city water system filters every shower. Living Water describes its Puronics Clarius iGen and Goodspring systems as removing chloramine and chlorine.
• A softener only if your hardness number supports it.
• Showerhead filters exist, but small cartridges struggle with chloramine's contact time; check the exact model's chloramine claim.

See chloramine filters in Cutler Bay.

Free chlorine weeks

If your skin feels different for about two weeks in the fall, note the timing: WASD's annual chlorine conversion ran September 28 through October 11 in 2026, using free chlorine in place of chloramine.

A simple at-home comparison

If you want to see whether water is a factor before spending anything, notice how your skin and hair feel after showering somewhere with different water, such as a gym, a hotel or a relative's home on a filtered system. It is not scientific, but it helps you decide whether a test is worth booking.

Get the numbers

Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974 to book a free test. Jorge explains what he finds and recommends only what fits.

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