Water Smells Like Rotten Eggs in Lantana

What the town does at the plant

Lantana's Annual Water Quality Report says the water from its ten shallow wells is aerated to remove natural gases, then disinfected with chloramines and filtered. Aeration is one of the standard ways to drive off dissolved gases like hydrogen sulfide. So on Town water, a rotten-egg smell usually forms after the water reaches you, most often in the water heater. On a private well, nothing has been removed yet.

The Florida DOH hot-and-cold check

• Smell only from hot faucets: likely the water heater.
• Hot and cold, but only on water that passes through a softener: likely sulfur bacteria in the softener.
• Strong at first, fading as the water runs: likely sulfur bacteria in the well or plumbing.
• Strong and constant on hot and cold: likely hydrogen sulfide in the groundwater.

That checklist comes from the Florida Department of Health's fact sheet on well water odor and staining, and it works for city homes too.

The water heater case

Tank water heaters use a sacrificial anode rod, often magnesium, to protect the tank. In warm, still water, bacteria can react with it and produce hydrogen sulfide. It is typically worse after the heater sits unused, like after a trip or in a seasonal home, which is common along the coast. A plumber can flush the tank or change the rod type. Check the manufacturer's guidance first, since a rod change can affect the warranty. A filter on the main line generally will not fix a smell that forms inside the heater.

Private and irrigation wells

Some properties in and around Lantana use wells for irrigation, and a few for drinking. The Department of Health notes hydrogen sulfide can occur in wells anywhere in Florida. On an irrigation well, the smell lingers around sprinklers and wet walls. On a drinking well, it shows up at every tap. Treatment is chosen from the well's test, often aeration or oxidation followed by filtration, and iron frequently comes along with it. See aeration vs. filtration for sulfur smells.

Not every smell is sulfur

A bleach-like or pool-like smell is the disinfectant. Lantana's 2025 chloramine samples ranged from 3.0 to 4.7 ppm, which some people notice strongly, especially in a hot shower. See chloramine filters in Lantana. A sewer-like smell from one sink is often the drain, not the water: fill a glass, step away from the sink and smell it again.

What Jorge checks

Hot and cold taps side by side, the water heater's age and how often each bathroom is used, chloramine, pH and iron. If the heater is the cause, he will tell you, and you may not need any treatment equipment. Call, text or WhatsApp Jorge at (305) 793-5974.

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