Florida’s water challenges are real but largely manageable with the right treatment. The main issues shift depending on where you live and whether you’re on municipal water or a private well.
Hydrogen Sulfide: The Rotten Egg Problem
The most common complaint from central and north Florida well owners is a sulfur smell, sometimes described as rotten eggs. Florida’s karst limestone geology, particularly the Floridan Aquifer that underlies most of the peninsula, produces hydrogen sulfide gas naturally. Sulfate-reducing bacteria in the aquifer convert dissolved sulfates into hydrogen sulfide.
The good news: at concentrations typical in Florida residential wells, hydrogen sulfide is not a health hazard. The EPA has no MCL for hydrogen sulfide because the health risk at household concentrations is negligible. But the smell is strong, gets into clothing and dishes, and makes showers unpleasant.
Aeration (exposing the water to air to release the gas) is the most common treatment. An aeration tank or venturi aerator ahead of the pressure tank handles most cases. Activated carbon filtration and oxidizing filters (using chlorination or ozone) are also effective.
One diagnostic worth knowing: if only your hot water smells like sulfur but cold water doesn’t, the source is likely the water heater’s anode rod reacting with sulfate-rich water, not the well itself. Replacing the anode rod with an aluminum or zinc version often eliminates hot water sulfur smell without any whole-house treatment.
See our hydrogen sulfide guide for the full treatment breakdown.
Hardness: Limestone Everywhere
The Floridan Aquifer runs through limestone and dolomite. Central Florida water is very hard. Tampa Bay area utilities typically report 14-16 grains per gallon. Orlando area: 10-14 gpg. This is calcium and magnesium dissolved from the limestone the water passes through.
The practical result: scale on faucets, showerheads, and appliances. Shortened water heater lifespan. More soap and detergent required. Shower glass that shows mineral deposits within days of cleaning. Florida homeowners spend real money maintaining appliances that hard water damages prematurely.
Water softeners are more common in Florida than almost any other state, and the math on ROI is straightforward at 15+ gpg. A water softener that extends the life of a water heater, dishwasher, and washing machine by several years more than pays for itself in most cases. See our hard water guide for the numbers.
Blue-Green Algae and Cyanotoxins
Florida’s warm climate, flat terrain, and abundant shallow water bodies create favorable conditions for algae blooms, particularly cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Some cyanobacteria strains produce cyanotoxins, specifically microcystin and cylindrospermopsin, which can cause liver damage and neurological effects.
The 2018 algae crisis on Lake Okeechobee made this visible statewide. Army Corps of Engineers releases from Lake Okeechobee triggered extensive blooms on the Caloosahatchee River (southwest Florida) and St. Lucie River (east coast). Some blooms were visible from satellite.
Municipal utilities that draw from surface water test for cyanotoxins and treat accordingly. The direct public health risk is primarily to people recreating on affected water bodies, not to tap water users on a treated municipal system. But residents using unfiltered surface water, shallow wells near affected waterways, or untreated cisterns face higher exposure.
If you’re on a private well near a water body that has experienced algae blooms, standard filtration won’t address cyanotoxins. Activated carbon (NSF 53) reduces microcystin, and NSF 58 RO handles cyanotoxins as well.
Saltwater Intrusion in Coastal Areas
Freshwater aquifers along Florida’s coasts face a real threat: saltwater moving inland as sea levels rise and as aquifers are drawn down faster than they recharge. Monroe County (the Florida Keys) is the most extreme case, but Broward County, parts of Miami-Dade, and coastal communities throughout Southwest Florida are also affected.
Saltwater intrusion increases TDS (total dissolved solids), sodium, and chloride in well water. Water that was drinkable 20 years ago may no longer be. Private well owners in coastal zones should test TDS, sodium, and chloride regularly, ideally every two to three years.
Some coastal utilities have moved to desalination. Tampa Bay Water operates a desalination plant that has supplied part of the regional water supply since 2008. For private well owners, desalination at the household level is expensive. RO is the practical treatment for moderately elevated TDS.
PFAS Near Military Bases
Florida has several of the most documented PFAS contamination sites in the southeastern US, all linked to military AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam) use. Tyndall Air Force Base in Bay County, Eglin Air Force Base in Okaloosa County, and MacDill Air Force Base in Hillsborough County are among the documented sources.
Affected communities have generally been notified by utilities or the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. If you live within a few miles of any Florida military installation and rely on a private well, testing specifically for PFAS is worth doing. See our PFAS guide for information on what filters actually work.
What to Prioritize by Region
Central Florida well owners: test for hardness, hydrogen sulfide, and arsenic (arsenic occurs naturally in some Florida aquifer areas). A comprehensive water test from a Florida-certified lab is the starting point.
Coastal residents on private wells: TDS and saltwater markers (sodium, chloride) are the priority, plus any contaminants from nearby sources.
Near military bases: test specifically for PFAS. A certified lab PFAS panel costs $150-300.
For municipal water users, the EWG Tap Water Database covers Florida utilities. Enter your zip code to see what your specific system has reported.
If you’re on a well and want a complete picture before choosing treatment, a comprehensive well water panel from a Florida-certified lab covering bacteria, nitrates, arsenic, hardness, iron, hydrogen sulfide, and PFAS runs $150-250 and tells you exactly what you’re dealing with. See our well water testing guide for what to test and how to find a certified lab.