Dry, Itchy Skin After Showering in North Miami

What is in a North Miami shower

• Chloramine: formed at the Winson plant by adding sodium hypochlorite and ammonia after filtration; 2.0 ppm, range 1.0 to 3.4, in the city's 2025 report. The county water the city buys is chloraminated too.
• Hardness: lime softening reduces calcium and magnesium, but some remains and can react with soap.

Not only the water

Very hot or long showers, harsh soaps, air conditioning and low indoor humidity all dry skin. If you have eczema, psoriasis or itching that will not go away, see a dermatologist. Filtering water is about comfort, not treating a condition.

Match the feeling to the factor

Shower filters and the city's showerhead program

North Miami offers residents a free showerhead exchange at City Hall, 776 NE 125 Street, swapping an old showerhead for a high-efficiency one to save water. That is a conservation program, not a filter. Small filtering showerheads have little media and short contact time, which makes chloramine hard to reduce, so check whether any model actually lists chloramine reduction. A whole-home system treats every bathroom and the laundry.

Hair, laundry and the yearly switch

People who notice chloramine on their skin often notice it in their hair and laundry too, since the same water reaches every fixture. Miami-Dade's annual switch to free chlorine, September 28 to October 11 in 2026, affects the county water North Miami buys, and some residents notice their skin feels different during those weeks. If your symptoms follow that calendar, mention it during the test.

Habits that help

• Warm, not hot, water and shorter showers.
• Moisturize right after drying off.
• A gentle cleanser and a thorough rinse.
• Run the bathroom fan.

Test your shower water

Jorge measures chloramine and hardness at your tap and explains what a system could change. Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974.

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