Two kinds of Pinecrest homes
Most Pinecrest homes have a Miami-Dade Water and Sewer account and drink county water. Others have relied on private wells. The Village's Potable Water Project, which began in January 2022, built water infrastructure in 16 sub-phases and conveyed each completed phase to WASD after flushing, pressure and bacterial testing; in June 2023 the Village reported 7 of the 16 sub-phases conveyed and expected all of them by July 2023. Homes along those new mains can connect, but connecting is the owner's step.
So the first question for any Pinecrest home is simple: county water or well? Your water bill answers it. The treatment that makes sense is completely different for each.
County water: what the Orr plant does
- Source: the Biscayne Aquifer.
- Softening: lime treatment to reduce hardness.
- Disinfection: chlorine, then ammonia to form chloramine. WASD's 2025 report lists 2.5 ppm on the main system, within the limit of 4.
- Corrosion control: a phosphorus compound for pipes and home plumbing.
- Fluoride: no longer added since June 6, 2025; natural levels about 0.1 to 0.3 ppm.
Each fall WASD switches to free chlorine for two weeks. The Village posted the 2026 dates, September 28 to October 11, and told residents to expect a slight chlorine taste or smell, hydrant flushing, brief pressure dips and occasional discoloration.
Private wells: what the Village tells owners
Pinecrest's "Your Well Water" page is direct: owners of private wells are responsible for ensuring their water is safe from contaminants. It states that historically the area is known to have incidents of arsenic, solvents, nitrate and the pesticide dieldrin, and that a well "should be tested regularly for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids, and pH levels." It also notes that the Florida Department of Health tests in areas next to known contaminated wells.
None of that says any particular well has a problem. It says the only way to know is to test, at a certified lab, regularly. See well water treatment in Pinecrest.
Septic, canals and irrigation
A 2018 Miami-Dade study counted 5,088 residential parcels on septic in Pinecrest. The Florida Department of Health notes that bacteria and nitrate can reach wells through poorly maintained septic systems and fertilizer use, which is one more reason well owners test. Pinecrest's canals are maintained by the Village or by the South Florida Water Management District, and the district urges residents to use lawn chemicals responsibly because excess harms canals and the aquifer.
Many lots also irrigate from a well, which explains orange stains on walls and walks; see iron stains in Pinecrest.
What usually fits
| Situation | Usually worth considering |
|---|---|
| Home on WASD water | A whole-home city water system for chloramine, often with under-sink alkaline RO |
| Home on a private drinking well | Certified lab test first, then a well system from the results |
| Just connected to county water | A review of old well equipment, then chloramine treatment if wanted |
| Irrigation well staining | Iron treatment on the sprinkler line |
Pinecrest's lots are large and its homes often have several bathrooms, pool baths and guest quarters, so sizing and placement matter more than in a typical townhome. Jorge walks the property, locates the main line, the meter and the irrigation tee, and checks for old well equipment that may still be in the line after a connection. A softener or iron filter that made sense on well water can be unnecessary on lime-softened county water, and a system designed for well water was never meant to handle chloramine.
Every Pinecrest page
Systems: whole-home filtration, water softeners, under-sink reverse osmosis, best drinking water system, softener vs. filter.
Problems: chlorine and chloramine, rotten-egg smell, orange stains, hard water spots, dry skin after showering, PFAS, fluoride, well water.
Costs: water filtration cost, reverse osmosis cost, water softener cost. Testing: home water testing in Pinecrest.
Nearby: Palmetto Bay, South Miami, Coral Gables and Kendall.
Book a free test
Call, text or WhatsApp Jorge at (305) 793-5974. He tests your tap or well, explains the numbers in plain words and recommends a system only if it fits, with no obligation. Living Water offers financing through its financing partners; you apply with a credit application, and a co-applicant can apply with you.
https://www.miamidade.gov/resources/water/documents/2025-water-quality-report.pdf
https://www.miamidade.gov/global/water/water-supply-and-treatment.page
https://www.pinecrest-fl.gov/Government/Communications-Division/News/Potable-Water-Project-Nears-Completion
https://www.pinecrest-fl.gov/Resident/Water/How-to-Connect-to-Potable-Water
https://www.pinecrest-fl.gov/Resident/Water/Your-Well-Water
https://www.pinecrest-fl.gov/Government/Communications-Division/News/Chlorine-Conversion-Sept.-28-%E2%80%93-Oct.-11
https://www.miamidade.gov/global/news-item.page?Mduid_news=news1753893105003591
https://www.miamidade.gov/resources/environment/documents/vulnerability-septic-systems-sea-level-rise.pdf
https://www.floridahealth.gov/community-environmental-public-health/environmental-public-health/water-quality/drinking-water/private-wells/
https://www.pinecrest-fl.gov/Government/Public-Works/Know-Your-Canals
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist