Water Smells Like Rotten Eggs in Davie

Quick check: hot, cold, or both?

• Only hot water smells: the water heater is the usual suspect. The magnesium anode rod inside the tank can react with water and naturally present bacteria to produce hydrogen sulfide, especially in a heater that sits unused.
• Hot and cold both smell, on a well: the gas is likely coming from the groundwater itself.
• Only one faucet smells: the drain, not the water, may be the cause. Fill a glass, step away from the sink and smell it again.

Town water vs. well water in Davie

Town of Davie Utilities water is aerated at the plant after reverse osmosis, according to the Town's 2025 Water Quality Report. Aeration strips dissolved gases, which is one reason a sulfur smell on Town water usually points to something inside the home, like the water heater, a seldom-used line, or a drain.

Well water is different. The Town's planning documents describe wells and septic tanks permitted in parts of Davie not served by city water. Groundwater there reaches the house without any utility treatment, so a sulfur smell can come straight from the well.

The water heater fix

Talk to a licensed plumber about the anode rod. Common approaches include replacing a magnesium anode with a different type, or flushing and disinfecting the tank. Changing an anode can affect the heater's warranty, so check with the manufacturer. A whole-home filter will not fix a smell created inside the water heater, which is why it is worth checking this before buying equipment.

The well fix

For wells, treatment depends on how much hydrogen sulfide the test shows and what else is in the water, often iron and hardness. Options include aeration systems, oxidation followed by filtration, and catalytic media. Living Water configures well systems from the well's test; see well water treatment in Davie and aeration vs. filtration for sulfur smells.

What Jorge tests

• Hot and cold samples at the same faucet.
• Iron, hardness, pH and dissolved solids, which affect which sulfur treatment works.
• On utility water, the chloramine level, so the whole picture is clear.

For wells, the Florida Department of Health also recommends a certified lab test for bacteria and nitrate at least once a year.

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