Kendall Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

The Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD) provides drinking water to Kendall, an unincorporated community in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Kendall's sole water source is groundwater drawn from the Biscayne Aquifer via a network of wells. Water is treated at regional facilities including the Hialeah Water Treatment Plant, John E. Preston Water Treatment Plant, Alexander Orr Water Treatment Plant, and the South Dade Water Supply System, comprising five smaller plants serving areas south of SW 264th Street. These plants collectively process water for over 2.4 million county residents, distributing it through an extensive pipeline network.

The Biscayne Aquifer spans the coastal lowlands of southeastern Florida, recharged by local rainfall percolating through sandy soils and canals associated with the Everglades system. Geologically, it features the Miami Limestone formation — a porous oolitic limestone from the Pleistocene epoch — overlying the Fort Thompson Formation of similar calcareous composition. This karstic limestone geology dissolves over time, imparting minerals to the water and producing a hard supply prone to mineral scaling. The aquifer's shallow nature makes it vulnerable to saltwater intrusion from the Atlantic Ocean and surface influences from urban runoff.

In moderately hard water conditions, Kendall users notice reduced lathering from soap and shampoo, leaving filmy residues on skin and hair. Scale buildup affects water heaters, dishwashers, coffee makers, and washing machines most, shortening appliance life and increasing energy costs. Regular maintenance — deliming fixtures with vinegar, installing drain screens, flushing water heaters annually — helps mitigate these effects. A water softener is recommended for households experiencing persistent scaling. Treatment involves aeration, lime softening, filtration, chloramination, and corrosion control with orthophosphate; PFAS levels remain below exceedance thresholds in recent reports, with disinfection byproducts (TTHMs, HAA5s) and trace arsenic all below MCLs.