Hot, cold, or one drain?
| What you notice | Likely source |
|---|---|
| Hot taps only, worse in the morning or after travel | Water heater and its anode rod |
| Only one sink or shower, and a glass of water smells fine | The drain or a dry trap |
| Hot and cold, every tap, on a private well | Hydrogen sulfide in the groundwater |
| Outdoors when sprinklers run | Irrigation well water |
The Florida Department of Health's well water fact sheet uses the same hot-and-cold logic.
What the City's treatment does
The City's 2025 Water Quality Report explains that chlorination, besides disinfecting, helps remove hydrogen sulfide, which has a rotten-egg odor, along with iron and manganese from raw water. Treated water then carries a chloramine residual through the system. So when City customers smell sulfur, the cause is almost always something that happens after the meter.
Water heaters, including condo units
Tank water heaters use a sacrificial anode rod, often magnesium. When warm water sits, bacteria can react with the rod and release hydrogen sulfide. Condo units that sit empty for weeks or months, common for seasonal residents, are classic cases: the first hot shower after returning smells strongly, then fades. A licensed plumber can flush the tank or change the anode type; check the manufacturer's guidance first, since changes can affect the warranty.
Seasonal residents can reduce the problem by running every hot tap for a few minutes on return.
Wells
A private drinking well with sulfur odor is treated with equipment chosen from the well's test: aeration, oxidizing filtration or carbon, depending on the level. Sprinkler wells can carry the same smell outdoors without affecting the tap. See well water in Hallandale Beach and aeration vs. filtration for sulfur smells.
Other smells, other causes
- Pool or bleach smell: chloramines; see chloramine filters.
- Musty smell after flushing work nearby: run cold water until it clears; the City notes flushing can briefly affect water quality.
- Sewer smell from one drain: run water in rarely used fixtures weekly.
If you smell gas rather than water, that is a different emergency: leave and call the gas company or 911.
What Jorge checks
Hot and cold readings, chloramines, pH and iron, plus the heater's age and how often each bathroom is used. If the heater is the cause, he will say so, and you may not need any filter. Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974.
https://www.cohb.org/DocumentCenter/View/37801/2025-CCR---Hallandale-Beach-2025-Water-Quality-Report
https://www.floridahealth.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/well-water-facts-odor-staining.pdf
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist