Why test if the town already reports?
The town's report covers its whole system. Your tap is at the end of your own plumbing and the town's lines along Hillsboro Mile. Chlorine can drop with distance, older pipes can add metals, and a water heater can change smell and color. A tap test tells you what is coming out in your kitchen today.
What Jorge checks
| Test | Why it matters here |
|---|---|
| Chlorine | The town disinfects with chlorine; the 2025 report lists a 2.25 ppm running average |
| Hardness | The town treats to remove hardness; this shows whether you need a softener |
| Total dissolved solids | Useful for RO decisions and taste |
| pH | Affects taste and corrosion |
| Iron | For stains, especially if a well is involved |
What the town's report already tells you
Read the 2025 report alongside your results. It lists lead at a 90th percentile of 1.5 ppb and copper at 0.029 ppm from September 2024 sampling, sodium at 15.7 ppm, and fluoride at 0.56 ppm. It also discloses that a required nitrate and nitrite sample was missed in September 2025; sampling resumed March 19, 2026. If you have questions about that notice, the Water Department's number is 954-941-8937.
When a certified lab is better
- Lead: the report says the Water Department can be contacted if you want your water tested for lead.
- Bacteria and nitrate on a private well: use a certified lab; Broward wells are covered on our well water page.
- PFAS: requires a certified lab using EPA methods.
See home screening vs. lab analysis.
Questions people in Hillsboro Beach often bring
- Chlorine taste: the test shows your actual chlorine level, which helps decide between a whole-home carbon system and a kitchen RO.
- Coming back after the season: water that sat in pipes and the heater can taste or smell different; the test separates plumbing effects from the supply.
- Spots on glass and fixtures: hardness and dissolved solids tell you whether a softener would help at all.
- A new baby or a new kitchen appliance: people often want a baseline of what their tap delivers before choosing a drinking water system or an ice-maker filter.
- Buying or renovating: a test before a remodel shows whether a whole-home system should be planned into the new plumbing.
How the visit goes
Jorge comes to your home or condo, runs the tests at your tap, explains each number, and answers questions. If nothing needs fixing, he says so. If something fits, you get an itemized quote. Learn more in what happens during a home water assessment. Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974.
https://www.townofhillsborobeach.com/DocumentCenter/View/6635/Water-Quality-Report-2025
https://www.townofhillsborobeach.com/270/Water-Quality-Report
https://www.townofhillsborobeach.com/194/Water-Department
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist