Orange & Rust Stains From Water in Davie

Why sprinkler stains are so common on big lots

Davie's larger lots and ranch properties use a lot of irrigation water, and many are watered from shallow wells rather than the drinking water line. In Broward County, irrigation wells are permitted by the Florida Department of Health in Broward County like other small wells. Groundwater can carry dissolved iron that is invisible coming out of the ground. When it hits air and sunlight on a wall or sidewalk, it oxidizes and leaves orange stains that build up with every cycle.

Where the iron is coming from

• Irrigation well: stains outside only, in spray patterns on walls, fences, pavers, cars and pool decks.
• Private drinking well: orange rings in toilets, sinks and showers, and sometimes laundry stains.
• Utility water with old plumbing: less common, usually rusty water after the line sits unused. Town of Davie water is made by reverse osmosis at the plant, so iron indoors on Town water deserves a closer look at your pipes and water heater.

Treatment options

• Irrigation iron filters that oxidize and catch iron before it reaches sprinkler heads.
• Whole-home well systems that remove iron along with sulfur or hardness, configured from the well's test. See well water treatment in Davie.
• Sprinkler adjustments so heads do not spray walls and pavers, which reduces stains even before treatment.

Chemical rust removers can clean existing stains; follow the product label and protect plants and pool water.

What to test

Jorge tests iron, pH, hardness and signs of sulfur, because iron treatment depends on all of them. If iron is high and sulfur is also present, the right equipment is different than for iron alone. Water from the irrigation well and from the house supply can be tested separately.

Know which water feeds your sprinklers

Before buying anything, find out what your irrigation system draws from: a shallow well, a canal or lake pump, or the drinking water line. The Town of Davie's own reclaimed water goes to large users; the Town lists Nova Southeastern University's irrigation and University of Florida IFAS research among its current reuse recipients, not individual homes. If your sprinklers run on the drinking water line and you still see orange stains, the source may be something else, such as fertilizer or rusting metal fixtures, and the test will show it.

Jorge can test water from the irrigation line and the house supply on the same visit, so you know whether one problem or two needs solving.

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