Water Smells Like Rotten Eggs in Miramar

The hot-versus-cold check

1. Run a cold tap for a minute and smell it.
2. Run a hot tap the same way.
3. Notice whether the smell is at every tap or just one sink.

• Hot only: almost always the water heater.
• Hot and cold, every tap, on a well: likely hydrogen sulfide in the groundwater.
• One sink only: often the drain, not the water. Smell the water in a glass away from the sink.

Why it happens in city homes

Tank water heaters contain a sacrificial anode rod, often magnesium, that corrodes so the tank does not. In some conditions, bacteria in the warm tank react with the rod and produce hydrogen sulfide. The smell builds when hot water sits, for example after a vacation or in a guest bath.

Miramar disinfects its water by chlorination, but that residual is designed for the pipes, not for a warm tank that sits for days. A plumber can flush the heater, and some replace the rod with a different alloy. Follow the heater manufacturer's instructions, since changing the rod can affect the warranty.

Wells in Miramar

Some Miramar properties, including parts of Country Club Ranches, have relied on private wells; the city is extending water mains there in phases. Groundwater can carry dissolved hydrogen sulfide, and it often comes with iron. Treatment options are chosen from a test of that well, such as aeration, oxidation and filtration, or a combination. Compare approaches in aeration vs. filtration for sulfur smells and see well water treatment.

Irrigation water

If the smell is outside, around sprinklers, the source is usually a shallow irrigation well, not your drinking water. The same well can leave orange stains. See iron and rust stains in Miramar.

Signs it is the water heater

• The smell is strongest first thing in the morning or after a trip.
• It fades after the hot water runs for a while.
• Cold water from the same faucet smells fine.
• The heater is a tank model, not tankless.

If all four fit, start with the heater before buying any water treatment.

What Jorge tests

He checks hot and cold taps, chlorine, pH and iron, and asks how old the water heater is and how often each bathroom is used. If the cause is the heater, he will say so, and you may not need a filtration system at all. Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974.

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