What the city does, and does not, take care of
| Handled at the plant? | What that means at home | |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness | Yes. The 2025 report says water is softened at the plants | Many homes do not need a softener |
| Disinfectant | Added on purpose: chloramines, 2.3 ppm average in 2025 | A filter is what changes the taste and smell |
| Color and clarity | The new Prospect Lake plant is designed to improve them | Short-term tint changes can still happen during maintenance |
Symptom checklist
- Pool or bleach smell, chemical taste: filter. See chloramine filters.
- Crusty faucets, scale in kettles and water heaters: softener, if a test confirms hardness.
- Light spots on glass: often normal mineral residue; test before buying.
- Orange staining from sprinklers: iron in well water; see rust stains.
- Better drinking water: under-sink RO.
Where each one fits in Fort Lauderdale
Homes on city water: usually a whole-home filter for chloramine, sometimes with RO at the kitchen sink.
Hotels, restaurants, laundries and gyms: water heaters and machines concentrate minerals, so an ion-exchange softening plant protects equipment even on softened city water. Living Water installs them for businesses after testing and reviewing daily use. See water softeners in Fort Lauderdale.
Wells elsewhere in Broward: often both, configured from the well's test.
Why not just buy both?
Because each one has running costs. A softener uses salt and water to regenerate; a filter has media to replace. Buying equipment for a problem you do not have is the most common way people overspend on water treatment. The comparison in softener vs. filter: which do you need goes deeper.
Questions to answer before the free test
- Smell a fresh glass of cold tap water. A pool smell points to chloramines, which the city's 2025 report lists at an average of 2.3 ppm.
- Check faucet aerators and shower heads for hard crust that does not wipe off.
- Ask whether your water heater has been flushed and what your plumber found.
- Notice whether the water's color changed briefly. The city has explained that water from its different plants can look slightly different during maintenance; that is not a hardness problem.
- For a business, list equipment that heats water and how often it is descaled.
Bring the answers to the visit and the recommendation gets sharper.
Get the numbers for your tap
Jorge tests hardness and disinfectant at your Fort Lauderdale home for free, explains both and recommends the one that fits, both, or neither. Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974.
https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/files/d3f21c58-5644-4f14-9cf9-49b1020de2fd/2025-Water-Quality-Report.pdf
https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/Residents/City-News/Fort-Lauderdale-Celebrates-Opening-of-Prospect-Lake-Clean-Water-Center
https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/Residents/City-News/Water-T-Plant-Maintenance-March-30-April-5-Change-in-Water-Color-Possible
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist