City water first
The City of Sunny Isles Beach lists NMB Water as its potable water provider and Miami-Dade County for sewer. NMB draws from the Biscayne and Floridan aquifers at its well fields and treats the water at the Norwood plant in Miami Gardens before piping it to the island. A private well skips all of that: no softening, filtration or disinfection unless you add it.
Salt and the coast
NMB Water's website explains that a salty taste in water is usually due to naturally occurring sodium, magnesium and/or potassium, and that if you are in a coastal area and your well water tastes salty, salt water from the ocean may be 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 leave deposits; for anything you would drink, it calls for a lab test and a treatment plan, often including reverse osmosis.
Florida DOH testing advice
- Florida does not require routine sampling of private home wells; it is up to the owner.
- The Department of Health recommends testing for coliform bacteria and nitrates every year.
- Most homeowners should test for lead every three years.
- Use a certified laboratory for those.
Jorge's free screening adds iron, hardness, pH, sulfur and dissolved solids, which drive treatment choices.
Treatment by finding
| Finding | Typical approach |
|---|---|
| Iron stains from sprinklers | Iron filtration or metered treatment on the irrigation line |
| Sulfur odor | Aeration or oxidation, then filtration |
| Salt or high dissolved solids | Reverse osmosis for drinking water; plant-tolerant landscaping for irrigation |
| Hardness | Ion-exchange softening |
| Bacteria in a drinking well | Fix the cause, then disinfection such as UV |
Living Water configures well water systems from each well's test. See UV vs. RO for well water.
Watering rules
Miami-Dade County's year-round irrigation restrictions apply to all sources, including private wells, lakes and canals: two days a week by address, before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. Associations that irrigate shared grounds follow the schedule for the property's address.
Book
Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974. Jorge can test a well and your NMB Water tap on the same visit, so each problem is matched to the right source.
https://www.sibfl.gov/Resident-Services/Living-in-Sunny-Isles-Beach/Utility-Services
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