City water vs. well water in Pompano Beach
| City water | Private well | |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Biscayne Aquifer, two city wellfields | Biscayne Aquifer, your well |
| Softening | Lime or membrane at the plant | None unless you add it |
| Disinfection | Chloramine | None unless you add it |
| Testing | City lab, reported annually | Your responsibility |
Permits and the health department
In Broward County, the Florida Department of Health in Broward County (DOH-Broward) permits wells 12 inches in diameter or smaller, including irrigation wells, before construction, repair or abandonment, and the work must be done by a licensed well driller. DOH-Broward's number for reporting unpermitted drilling is 954-412-7334. Statewide, the Department of Health says private well owners are responsible for their well's water quality and recommends routine testing for bacteria and nitrate.
Irrigation wells and reuse water
Irrigation wells are where Pompano Beach homeowners most often meet well water: orange stains and sulfur smells around sprinklers. The city also offers OASIS reuse water for irrigation in areas its lines reach. If you're deciding between a new well, treating an existing one and connecting to reuse, compare the water each produces. See iron stains.
What a drinking well system includes
There is no single well package. Depending on the test, a system may combine sediment filtration, iron and sulfur treatment, softening and disinfection, often with RO at the kitchen sink. Compare UV vs. RO for well water and see well water systems.
Signs your well needs attention
- Orange or brown stains on fixtures, laundry or walls.
- Rotten-egg smell from cold taps.
- Scale on fixtures and heating elements.
- Change in taste, color or clarity after storms or flooding.
- No lab test in the past year.
None of these is a verdict on whether the water is fit to drink; only a lab test answers that. They are signals to test and, if needed, to treat. The Department of Health's private well guidance is a good starting point, and Jorge's in-home test adds the hardness, iron and pH numbers needed to size equipment.
Testing your well
- Certified lab: bacteria (total coliform, E. coli) and nitrate, as DOH recommends.
- Jorge's in-home test: hardness, iron, pH and TDS to size equipment.
- Specific concerns: a lab panel for anything else, such as PFAS.
Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974. Living Water offers financing through its financing partners; you apply with a credit application, and a co-applicant can apply with you.
https://broward.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/environmental-public-health/water-well-construction/
https://www.floridahealth.gov/community-environmental-public-health/environmental-public-health/water-quality/drinking-water/private-wells/
https://www.pompanobeachfl.gov/residents/utilities/oasis-reuse
https://cdn.pompanobeachfl.gov/city/pages/utilities/Final-2025-Water-Quality-Report.pdf
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist