Water Smells Like Rotten Eggs in West Park

The two-tap check

1. Run cold water and smell it.
2. Run hot water and smell it.
3. If only hot smells: water heater. If both smell, and only from treated water: check any softener or filter. If both smell and you are on a well: groundwater.

This follows the Florida Department of Health's fact sheet on odor and staining in well water.

Water heater fixes

A plumber can flush the heater, raise the temperature temporarily, or replace the anode rod with a different type. A whole-home filter will not fix a water heater smell, and Jorge will tell you that rather than sell you equipment.

Why county water rarely smells of sulfur

Hollywood's plant treats Biscayne water with lime softening and membrane filtration and Floridan water with reverse osmosis before adding chloramines. Treatment like this removes the dissolved gas you would smell in raw groundwater. If your cold county water smells of sulfur, call Broward County WWS at 954-831-3250.

Wells and sprinklers

A sprinkler system fed by a shallow well can smell when it runs even though your tap water does not. On a well that supplies the house, common approaches include aeration, oxidation and carbon, chosen from the test. See aeration vs. filtration.

Note when the smell started. A smell that began right after a new water heater, a long trip or plumbing work tells you a lot.

What to test

• Hot and cold taps separately.
• Chlorine residual, to confirm you are on treated water.
• On a well: hydrogen sulfide, iron, pH, and bacteria by a certified lab.

Vacant homes and new water heaters

A home that sat empty for weeks often has a smell on the first hot-water draw, because water sat in the heater. Run the hot taps for several minutes. A newly installed heater with a different anode can also change things. If the smell comes back every time, talk to a plumber about the anode type.

Get it sorted

Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974.

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