Hot tap, cold tap, outdoors
| Where you smell it | Most likely source |
|---|---|
| Hot taps only | Water heater and its anode rod |
| Hot and cold, fades as water runs | Sulfur bacteria in a well or plumbing |
| Hot and cold, constant | Hydrogen sulfide in groundwater (wells) |
| Sprinklers and wet walls | Irrigation well water |
This follows the Florida Department of Health's guidance on well water odors.
After the season away
Many Lighthouse Point homes are empty for part of the year. Water sitting warm and still in a tank heater gives bacteria time to react with a magnesium anode, and the first hot shower back smells of sulfur. Pompano Beach's FAQ, which applies to the water it sends to Lighthouse Point, gives exactly this explanation. Flushing the heater, swapping the anode type or having a plumber service the heater usually solves it, with no filter needed.
Outdoor smells
If your property irrigates from a private well, sulfur and iron in that water can leave smells and orange stains around sprinkler heads. Watering on Lighthouse Point's schedule (twice a week, outside 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) limits how often it happens, but the water itself doesn't change. See iron stains.
Private drinking wells
Hydrogen sulfide can occur in wells anywhere in Florida, and the Department of Health says sulfur bacteria aren't harmful but recommends regular coliform and E. coli testing for drinking wells. Treatment, such as aeration or oxidation and filtration, is chosen from the well's test. See aeration vs. filtration and well water treatment.
What to do first
- Run hot and cold separately and note which smells.
- Flush every fixture if the home was vacant.
- Check the water heater's age and service history.
- If every tap smells and it doesn't clear, call the Pompano Beach Utilities lab at 954-545-7018.
What Jorge checks
Hot and cold taps, chloramine, pH and iron, plus the heater's age and how long the home sat. If the heater is the cause, he'll tell you and you may not need a filter. Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974.
He'll also check whether a filter or softener already installed in the home could be part of the problem; the Department of Health notes sulfur bacteria can grow in a softener, which shows up as a smell only from softened water.
https://www.pompanobeachfl.gov/residents/utilities/water
https://www.floridahealth.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/well-water-facts-odor-staining.pdf
https://www.lighthousepointfl.gov/174/Public-Works
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist