Home Water Testing in Hollywood

What the city tests, and what it cannot

The City of Hollywood's 2025 Water Quality Report says the city conducts over 70 routine tests a day and over 160 specialized tests, more than 28,000 a year, on samples from across the city. That is the system-wide picture, and the report confirms the water meets federal and state requirements.

What the report cannot tell you is what happens inside your home: the age of your plumbing, a water heater that smells, an older fixture, or whether your home is on a private well instead of city water.

What Jorge checks at your tap

• Chlorine and chloramine residual, the most common reason Hollywood homeowners notice taste or odor.
• Hardness, to see whether scale is a real issue or a softener would be wasted.
• Total dissolved solids, a quick read on minerals in the water.
• pH and appearance.
• Iron, odor and other clues if you are on a well or have stains.

When a certified lab test is better

A home screening is useful for treatment decisions. It is not a substitute for a certified laboratory when you need a specific contaminant measured, such as lead, bacteria in a private well, or PFAS. Jorge will tell you when a lab test makes more sense. See home screening vs. lab analysis. For lead questions, the city's Water Quality Division at 954-921-3414 can help.

Reading the city report alongside your test

Bring your test results next to the city's report and a few things become clear:

• The chloramine level at your tap versus the city's 2025 average of 2.42 parts per million.
• Why fluoride readings dropped after July 1, 2025, when the city stopped adding it.
• The unregulated contaminant (UCMR 5) section, where the city lists PFAS results.

Test before and after

A test is also useful after a system is installed. Checking chloramine at the tap a few months in shows whether the media is still working, and checking hardness after a softener install confirms it is set correctly. If something in your water changes suddenly, such as color or smell across the whole house, call the City of Hollywood's utilities line at 954-967-4357 first, since a sudden change is something the utility needs to know about.

What happens after

No pressure. If your water is fine for your needs, Jorge will say so. If a system fits, you get an itemized quote. Read what happens during a home water assessment.

Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist