First, the honest caveat
Hot showers, soaps, air conditioning and sun all affect skin. Water is one piece. If you have eczema, a rash or itching that does not go away, see a dermatologist. A water system can make showers feel more comfortable for some people, but it is not a treatment for any condition.
The disinfectant in Hialeah's water
The city's 2025 Water Quality Report lists chloramine for the Miami-Dade water it buys and chlorine for the Hialeah RO plant water. Both are there to keep the water protected in the pipes, and both are within legal limits. In a hot shower you smell them more, and some people say water with a disinfectant feels drying.
Showerhead filters have very little contact time, which is enough to reduce some free chlorine but generally not much chloramine. A whole-home system on the main line gives the media far more contact before water reaches the shower.
Hardness and how soap rinses
Hard water and soap form a film that can leave skin feeling coated and hair dull. In Hialeah, the county plant supplying most of the water uses lime treatment to reduce hardness, and the city's RO plant removes most dissolved minerals. So many Hialeah homes have fairly moderate water. If your test shows otherwise, a softener may help; if not, it will not change much.
What Jorge tests at your shower
| Test | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Disinfectant level | How much chlorine or chloramine is reaching you |
| Hardness | Whether soap film and scale are likely |
| Hot vs. cold check | Whether the water heater adds odor |
If the smell changes for about two weeks, that may be one of Miami-Dade's temporary switches to free chlorine, which the city posts on its Alert Center.
Options for Hialeah homes
- Single-family house or townhome: a whole-home system on the main line. Living Water describes its Puronics whole-home systems as removing chlorine and chloramine.
- If the test shows real hardness: add a softener.
- Apartment: whole-home options depend on access and the owner's approval. Jorge can check what is practical.
Book a free test: call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974.
https://www.hialeahfl.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=534
https://www.miamidade.gov/water/library/reports/water-quality-2024.pdf
https://www.hialeahfl.gov/AlertCenter.aspx?AID=Temporary-Conversion-to-Free-Chlorine-Tr-2005
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist