What a North Miami Beach well taps into
NMB Water describes the Biscayne Aquifer as porous limestone roughly 10 to 200 feet below ground, full of tiny cracks and holes and recharged when rain soaks in. That is the layer a home or irrigation well reaches. The utility's own wells also go much deeper, to about 1,250 feet in the brackish Floridan Aquifer, which it treats with reverse osmosis. A private well gets none of that treatment: no softening, no filtration, no disinfection, unless you add it.
Salty taste near the bay
NMB Water's website explains that a salty taste is usually due to naturally occurring sodium, magnesium or potassium, and that in a coastal area, salty well water may mean ocean water is intruding into the fresh water supply. It advises private well owners to contact the Florida Department of Health. For irrigation, salty water can stress plants and stain surfaces; for drinking, it calls for a lab test and a treatment plan, often including reverse osmosis.
Florida DOH testing guidance
Florida does not require routine sampling of private home wells, so testing is up to the owner. The Florida Department of Health recommends testing for coliform bacteria and nitrates every year, and for most homeowners, lead every three years. Use a certified laboratory for those. Jorge's free screening adds the treatment parameters: iron, hardness, pH, sulfur and dissolved solids.
Treatment options
| Problem | Typical approach |
|---|---|
| Iron staining from sprinklers | Iron filtration or a metered treatment on the irrigation line |
| Sulfur smell | Aeration or oxidation, then filtration |
| Hardness | Ion-exchange softening |
| Bacteria concern in a drinking well | Disinfection such as UV, after fixing the cause |
| Salt or broad dissolved solids | Reverse osmosis for drinking water |
Living Water configures well water systems from each well's test. Compare UV vs. RO for well water.
Irrigation rules still apply
Miami-Dade County's year-round irrigation restrictions apply to any water source, private wells included: two days a week by address, before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. That limits how often iron and sulfur water hits your walls and walkways.
Book
Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974. Jorge can test the well and your NMB Water tap in the same visit, so you know which problems belong to which source. If a lab test is needed for bacteria, nitrates or lead, he will say so, and you can bring those results into the treatment decision.
https://www.citynmb.com/904/Source
https://www.citynmb.com/919/Salty-Taste
https://www.floridahealth.gov/community-environmental-public-health/environmental-public-health/water-quality/drinking-water/private-wells/
https://www.miamidade.gov/global/water/conservation/outdoor-water-restrictions.page
https://www.citynmb.com/DocumentCenter/View/14691/2025-CCR-ENGLISH-web-version
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist