Water Smells Like Rotten Eggs in Wellington

Quick check

1. Run a cold tap, then a hot tap, and smell each.
2. Check a tap in a bathroom that is used daily and one that is not.
3. Ask whether the smell is inside, outside near sprinklers, or both.

Hot-only points to the heater. Both on a well points to the groundwater. Only near the sprinklers points to the irrigation supply. One unused bathroom points to stagnant water or a dry drain trap.

What Wellington says about odors

The village's Maintain Water Quality page lists odor among the most common complaints and names water heaters as a source of color, odor and particles, because hot water speeds up buildup in the tank. It recommends draining the heater according to the manufacturer, usually annually, and notes that heaters generally last 6 to 15 years. It also notes that musty odors can follow a home sitting vacant. Those are the right first checks before buying anything.

The anode rod explanation

Most tank water heaters contain a sacrificial anode rod, often magnesium, that protects the tank from corrosion. In warm, still water, bacteria can react with it and give off hydrogen sulfide. A plumber can flush the tank or swap the rod type. Check the heater maker's guidance first, since rod changes can affect the warranty. A filter will not fix a gas that forms after the water passes through it.

Private and irrigation wells

Private wells in South Florida can carry hydrogen sulfide. Wellington's own public supply comes from the surficial aquifer, but it is treated at the plant before it reaches you; a private well is not. On a drinking well, treatment is chosen from the well's test and may use aeration, oxidation and filtration, often together with iron removal. Irrigation wells are untreated by design, so a sulfur smell around sprinklers is common and does not affect your tap. See well water treatment in Wellington and aeration vs. filtration for sulfur.

Seasonal and vacant homes

Seasonal homes are common across South Florida. When water sits in a heater for weeks, the anode reaction has time to build up gas, so a strong smell on the first hot shower after returning is common. Running each hot tap for a few minutes usually clears it temporarily. If it keeps coming back with normal use, talk to a plumber about the heater.

What Jorge checks

Hot and cold taps, chloramine, pH, iron and TDS, plus the heater's age and use. If the heater is the cause, he tells you, and you may not need a water treatment system at all. Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974.

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