Why does only my hot water smell like eggs?

Usually a reaction involving the water heater's anode rod. A plumber can advise on flushing or changing the anode.

Is the smell coming from WASD's water?

Rarely as rotten eggs. WASD's disinfectant smells like a pool, not sulfur.

Will a whole-home filter fix it?

Not if the cause is the water heater. On a well, treatment chosen from a test can address it.

My sprinklers smell like sulfur. Why?

They likely draw from an irrigation well with hydrogen sulfide in the groundwater.

Yes, free. He checks both hot and cold sides and explains the cause.

Water Smells Like Rotten Eggs in Cutler Bay

Find the source in two minutes

Where you smell it	Likely cause	Who fixes it
Hot water only	Water heater anode reaction	Plumber or heater maker
Hot and cold, house on a well	Hydrogen sulfide in groundwater	Well treatment
Only the sprinklers	Irrigation well water	Irrigation-line treatment, if wanted
One sink only	The drain	Drain cleaning
Pool or bleach smell	WASD chloramine or chlorine	See the chloramine page

The water heater cause

Tank water heaters contain a sacrificial anode rod that protects the tank from corrosion. Under some conditions, bacteria in warm, still water interact with the anode and produce hydrogen sulfide. It shows up most after the house sits empty, which is common in seasonal homes and rentals. A plumber or the heater's manufacturer can advise on flushing the tank or replacing the anode with a different type. A whole-home filter on the incoming line will not fix a heater problem, and Jorge will tell you so.

The well cause

WASD treats its water before it reaches Cutler Bay homes, but a private well pulls Biscayne Aquifer water with no treatment at all. Some wells carry hydrogen sulfide, which you smell at every tap or around the sprinklers. Treatment depends on how strong the odor is and what else is in the water, especially iron. Common approaches are aeration or oxidizing filtration chosen from a test. See aeration vs. filtration for sulfur smells and well water in Cutler Bay.

Do not confuse it with chlorine weeks

WASD's chloramine has a chemical, pool-like smell, not an eggy one. Every year WASD uses free chlorine instead for about two weeks; its 2026 conversion ran September 28 through October 11, and the county said customers may notice a chlorine taste or smell. If that is what you are noticing, see chloramine filters in Cutler Bay.

Coastal homes and flooding

Cutler Bay sits on Biscayne Bay and is crossed by the C-100B and C-1N canals. If a private well has been under floodwater, the Florida Department of Health has guidance for flooded wells, and the water should be lab-tested before drinking. A new odor after a storm is a reason to test, not to guess.

Get it identified

Jorge checks hot and cold taps, asks about your heater and any well, and tests for the likely culprits. Then he tells you whether you need a plumber, a well treatment system or nothing at all. Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974.

Sources:
https://www.miamidade.gov/global/news-item.page?Mduid_news=news1753893105003591
https://www.cutlerbay-fl.gov/publicworks/page/public-works-faq
https://www.floridahealth.gov/community-environmental-public-health/environmental-public-health/water-quality/drinking-water/private-wells/

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