Where you notice it tells you a lot
| Where you notice it | Most likely source |
|---|---|
| Hot taps only, worse after the water sits | Tank water heater and its anode rod |
| Around sprinklers, wet walls and walks | Irrigation well water |
| Hot and cold, every tap, on a well | Hydrogen sulfide in the groundwater |
| Only on softened water | Sulfur bacteria in the softener |
| One sink only | Often the drain, not the water |
The softener and well rows come from the Florida Department of Health's fact sheet on well water odor and staining.
The water heater explanation
Tank water heaters protect themselves with a sacrificial anode rod, often magnesium. In warm, still water, bacteria can react with it and produce hydrogen sulfide. That can happen on any water supply, including PBCWUD's chloraminated water, and it is usually worse after a vacation or in a guest bathroom. A plumber can flush the tank or change the rod type. Check the heater manufacturer's guidance first, since rod changes can affect the warranty. A filter on the main line usually will not fix a smell that forms inside the heater.
Irrigation wells
Some Greenacres homes water their lawns from a private irrigation well. That water is untreated groundwater, and the Department of Health notes hydrogen sulfide can occur in wells anywhere in Florida. The smell hangs around while sprinklers run and on wet surfaces afterward. It does not affect your county tap water, which comes through a separate meter and line. Iron often comes with it; see orange stains in Greenacres.
Private drinking wells
Hydrogen sulfide in a drinking well is treated with methods chosen from the well's test, such as aeration or oxidation followed by filtration. Iron and hardness change which equipment fits. Compare in aeration vs. filtration for sulfur smells and see well water treatment in Greenacres.
A different smell: chlorine
A bleach-like or pool-like smell is the disinfectant, not sulfur. PBCWUD uses chloramine in the eastern service area and switches to chlorine only twice a year to clean its pipes, when many people notice the smell more. See chloramine filters in Greenacres.
What Jorge checks
Hot and cold taps side by side, the water heater's age and use, chloramine, pH and iron, and an outdoor spigot or irrigation line if you have a well. If the heater is the cause, he will tell you, and you may not need any equipment at all. Call, text or WhatsApp Jorge at (305) 793-5974.
https://www.floridahealth.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/well-water-facts-odor-staining.pdf
https://discover.pbc.gov/waterutilities/PubDoc/CCR_2025.pdf
https://discover.pbc.gov/waterutilities/Pages/Water-Quality.aspx
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist