Well Water Treatment in Brevard County, FL

A lot of Brevard is on private wells. Palm Bay's planning documents count about 12,000 households on wells, and in Malabar only about 20% of residents are on public water mains. Rural Mims, Grant-Valkaria and parts of north Merritt Island have many well homes too.

Shallow surficial aquifer wells commonly carry iron, and the Florida Department of Health says hydrogen sulfide (the rotten-egg smell) can occur in wells anywhere in Florida. The Town of Malabar notes that private wells there may need treatment for sulfur and salts. Some shallow wells also pick up tannins that turn water tea-colored.

Order matters. Iron and sulfur come out first, usually with air-injection oxidation, sometimes with chlorine injection when iron bacteria are present. Then a softener if the water is hard, then reverse osmosis at the kitchen sink if it's salty. A softener installed first clogs with iron.

Published Florida ranges: about $1,500 to $2,500 for a typical air-injection iron and sulfur filter, $3,000 to $5,000+ with chlorine injection, and $4,500 to $8,000+ for a full multi-stage setup. After a hurricane or flood, don't drink well water until it's tested.