Read the city's report first
The City of Homestead posts its annual Water Quality Report on homesteadfl.gov in English and Spanish. The 2025 edition explains the source (Biscayne Aquifer wells at the Wittkop Park and Harris Field plants), the disinfectant (chlorine), the discontinued fluoridation program and tables of detected substances, including PFAS results from federal UCMR5 monitoring.
It also notes that in 2024 the Florida Department of Environmental Protection completed a source water assessment that found three potential sources of contamination near the city's wells, all with a low susceptibility level. The report describes the water as it leaves the system; your tap can be different because of your home's plumbing and water heater.
What Jorge screens for at your tap
| Reading | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Hardness | Whether scale and spots are likely; the city report does not list hardness |
| Free chlorine | How much disinfectant reaches your faucet |
| TDS | A general measure of dissolved minerals, handy for comparing with RO water |
| pH | Affects taste and how equipment performs |
| Iron and odor | Key on wells and irrigation water |
He does not give safe or unsafe verdicts; a home screen is not designed for that.
When a certified lab is the right call
Bacteria, nitrate, lead, PFAS and pesticides need a state-certified laboratory. The Florida Department of Health says private well owners are responsible for their own water and recommends bacteria and nitrate testing at least once a year, plus coliform bacteria, nitrate and lead when a home is bought or sold. It adds that local health departments may recommend more tests depending on past and present land use nearby, which is worth asking about in the agricultural Redland. Learn the difference in home screening vs. lab analysis.
City water, county water or a well?
Around Homestead the answer varies by street. A bill from the City of Homestead means HPS Water. A Miami-Dade Water and Sewer bill outside the city line may mean WASD's South Dade Water Supply System. No bill usually means a private well. Miami-Dade's Connection Finder map and its open-data list of properties potentially served by septic or wells can help confirm.
If your home is on city water and your sprinklers run from a well, Jorge may test both. For lead specifically, the city offers information on its service line inventory and is recruiting volunteers for 2026 lead and copper sampling.
Book it
- Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974.
- Jorge tests at the kitchen tap and, if relevant, the well or an outdoor spigot.
- You get plain-language results and, only if something fits, an itemized quote.
See what happens during a home water assessment.
https://www.homesteadfl.gov/744/Water-Quality-Report
https://www.homesteadfl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6143
https://www.floridahealth.gov/community-environmental-public-health/environmental-public-health/water-quality/drinking-water/private-wells/
https://www.miamidade.gov/global/service.page?Mduid_service=ser1536071310599328
https://opendata.miamidade.gov/datasets/potential-properties-served-by-septic-or-well
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist