The hot-and-cold check
The Florida Department of Health's odor guidance boils down to this:
| What you notice | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Hot taps only | Water heater |
| Hot and cold, fades as water runs | Sulfur bacteria in a well or plumbing |
| Hot and cold, constant | Hydrogen sulfide in groundwater |
| Only softened water | Bacteria in the softener |
Why water heaters do it
Tank water heaters use a sacrificial anode rod, often magnesium. In warm, still water, bacteria can react with it and give off hydrogen sulfide. It's more common in homes that sit unused, such as seasonal condos. Flushing the heater, changing the anode type, or having a plumber service it usually fixes it, with no filter needed.
Snowbird season makes this a familiar story in Deerfield Beach: the first hot shower after months away smells of sulfur, and a day later it's gone. If it keeps coming back, the anode or the heater needs attention.
Don't confuse it with free chlorine weeks
During Deerfield Beach's annual free chlorination period, the water can smell more of chlorine, a sharp, pool-like smell rather than rotten eggs. That's routine maintenance and passes in a few weeks. A sulfur smell is a different issue.
Private wells and irrigation
The Department of Health says hydrogen sulfide can occur in wells anywhere in Florida, and that sulfur bacteria aren't harmful, but drinking wells should be tested regularly for coliform bacteria and E. coli. Treatment such as aeration or oxidation and filtration is chosen from the well's test. Irrigation wells can leave sulfur smells around sprinklers. See aeration vs. filtration and well water treatment.
First steps
- Run hot and cold separately and note which smells.
- If the home was empty, flush every fixture.
- Check the heater's age and service history.
- If every tap smells on city water and it doesn't clear, call Environmental Services at 954-250-4305 (after hours 954-480-4371).
What Jorge checks
Hot and cold taps, chloramine, pH and iron, plus the heater's age and how long the home sat. If the heater is the cause, he'll tell you, and you may not need equipment. Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974.
He'll also check whether an existing softener or filter could be part of the problem; the Department of Health notes sulfur bacteria can grow in a softener, which shows up as a smell only from softened water.
https://www.floridahealth.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/well-water-facts-odor-staining.pdf
https://www.deerfield-beach.com/238/Environmental-Services-Engineering
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist