Dry, Itchy Skin After Showering in North Miami Beach

What is in a North Miami Beach shower

• Chloramine: NMB Water's 2025 report lists it as the disinfectant residual in the distribution system, within the 4 ppm regulatory maximum. Hot water makes the smell more noticeable.
• Minerals: NMB treats Biscayne Aquifer water by lime softening or nanofiltration and Floridan Aquifer water by reverse osmosis, then blends them, so hardness is generally lower than raw limestone groundwater.
• Heat: very hot water strips natural oils regardless of what is in it.

Comfort, not a medical claim

We do not claim that filtered or softened water treats or prevents any skin condition. What people describe after reducing chloramine in the shower is a comfort difference: no pool smell, hair that feels different, less of that "just out of the pool" feeling. If you have eczema, persistent itching or a rash, a dermatologist is the right person to see, and they can tell you whether water is worth addressing in your case.

Habits that help regardless of water

• Shorter, warm rather than hot showers.
• Mild, fragrance-free cleansers.
• Moisturizer applied while skin is still slightly damp.
• Running the bathroom fan; air conditioning dries indoor air too.

Options if you want less chloramine in the shower

See whole-home filtration and chloramine filters for North Miami Beach.

The annual chlorine weeks

About once a year, NMB's Norwood plant switches temporarily from chloramine to free chlorine and flushes the system through hydrants. Many people notice a stronger smell in the shower during that period. It is temporary and part of routine maintenance of the pipe network.

Condos, seasonal homes and older plumbing

In a condo you cannot usually treat the building's main line, so a chloramine-rated shower filter is the practical step, with the understanding that its small cartridge needs frequent changes. In a seasonal home, water that sat in pipes and the heater for weeks can smell and feel different on the first showers back; running each tap for a few minutes helps. In an older house with galvanized pipes, rusty water on first draw is a plumbing matter, not something a shower filter will fix.

What Jorge measures

Total chlorine and hardness at a shower or bathroom tap as well as the kitchen, plus pH. He explains the numbers and whether a whole-home system is likely to make a difference you would notice. Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974.

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