Water factors that affect comfort
- Chloramine: WASD's 2025 report lists a 2.5 ppm running annual average. Some people notice its smell and feel in a hot shower.
- Hardness: minerals can leave soap residue on skin and hair. The Orr plant reduces hardness, so the amount at your tap varies.
- Hot water: long, hot showers dry skin regardless of water quality.
- Water heater condition: sediment or scale in an older tank can change how hot water feels and smells.
In older South Miami homes, the water heater is often the first thing Jorge looks at after the tap test.
What testing shows
Jorge measures total chlorine and hardness at a shower or bathroom tap. If chloramine is the main factor, filtration is the tool. If hardness is significant, softening may help. If both are low, the water may not be the cause, and he'll say so.
He can also test the hot side, since the water heater can change how water smells and feels. Results are written down so you can compare after any change, and so you have something concrete to share with a dermatologist if you're seeing one for your skin.
Whole-home options
A shower-head filter is small and has limited contact time, which matters for chloramine. A whole-home system treats every shower and tap. Living Water describes its Puronics whole-home systems as removing chloramine and chlorine. Where testing shows hardness, a softener may be added, planned around septic or sewer discharge.
In South Miami, the main line on older houses can be in an awkward spot, so Jorge checks the installation location during the same visit.
Simple shower habits
- Shorter, warm rather than hot showers.
- Moisturize right after drying off.
- Ventilate the bathroom so you're not breathing steamy, chloramine-scented air for long.
- Clean shower heads periodically so scale doesn't build up.
These cost nothing and are worth trying alongside any testing.
See a dermatologist for skin conditions
Eczema, rashes and persistent itching need a medical opinion. Water treatment may make showers feel more comfortable, but it is not a treatment for any skin condition.
During WASD's annual chlorine switch
For about two weeks each year WASD uses free chlorine instead of chloramine; in 2026 that ran September 28 to October 11. Some people notice their showers smell stronger then. Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974 for a free test.
https://www.miamidade.gov/resources/water/documents/2025-water-quality-report.pdf
https://www.miamilakes-fl.gov/miami-dade-water-and-sewer-department-announces-annual-chlorine-conversion/
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist