Sources of drinking water (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells. As water travels over the surface of land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring, and, in some cases, radioactive materials. But it also picks up substances related to animals or human activity. Contaminants that may be present in source water include:

• Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining or farming.
• Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff and residential uses.
• Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production and can come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff and septic systems.
• Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or the result of oil and gas production, and mining activities.

In order to ensure that tap water provided by public water systems is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amounts of certain contaminants in water. Meanwhile, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.

All drinking water, including bottled water, may be reasonably expected to contain minute amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants in water does not necessarily pose health risks. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

What The EPA Says About MCLs And Health Effects

The Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) established by the EPA are set at very stringent levels. To understand the possible health effects described for many regulated constituents, a person would have to drink two liters of water every day at the MCL level for a lifetime to have a one-in-a-million chance of having the described health effect.

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised people, such as those with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy, those who have undergone organ transplants, those with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, and some elderly and infants, can be particularly at risk for infections. These people should consult with their healthcare providers about drinking water. EPA and Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

At OUC, our goal is to provide our customers with clean, safe and great-tasting water. Enclosed in the 2023 OUC Water Quality Report you will find data and test results that affirm this commitment.

For more than 100 years, OUC has provided reliable water service to Central Florida. As part of this service, OUC’s water lab conducts thousands of chemical and bacteriological water-quality tests annually, including tests for more than 135 regulated and unregulated substances like lead and copper. The lab also meets all federal and state regulations and complies with any new testing or reporting requirements brought by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies. In fact, our lab tests our water not only at our water plants, but also at multiple points along the way to your home or business. Summaries of our test results are included in this report. 

Beyond ensuring safe and clean water, OUC is focused on delivering Central Florida a consistent water supply that keeps pace with our rapidly growing community. This means practicing effective water conservation methods while identifying and implementing new technologies to deliver water efficiently and effectively. Recently, we added activated carbon filtration to our Conway water treatment plant to reduce the amount of chlorine used as a disinfectant and to save approximately 1 million gallons per day of water. 

Also, OUC is identifying alternative water sources and will build a water treatment plant by 2033 near Lake Nona that will use water from a brackish source in the Floridan Aquifer. Through reverse osmosis, salt will be removed and returned underground. The water will then be treated with ozone, just like OUC has done for 25 years. 

As we went to press with this report, the EPA announced newly established national limits in drinking water for six types of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS. By 2027, public water utilities must complete monitoring associated with these new standards and by 2029, must acquire and install PFAS-filtering equipment if water samples exceed these standards.;

As always, OUC is committed to doing the right thing and will follow all regulations. For more information and updates, please visit ouc.com/pfas.

I hope the 2023 Water Quality Report reassures you that we take seriously our responsibility of providing reliable access to great-tasting and clean H2O while protecting and preserving the public’s water supply. If you have questions, please contact OUC’s Water Quality Lab at 407-434-2549.

— Clint Bullock

OUC General Manager & CEO

Through water-conservation-themed classroom programs, OUC is teaching public school students about the importance of preserving and protecting Florida’s water supply. Since 2006, more than 139,000 local students have participated in OUC’s Water Color Project and Project AWESOME (Alternative Water & Energy Supply, Observation, Methods and Education). The Water Color Project encourages Orange County students to use their artistic talents to promote conservation. Fourth and fifth-graders compete to have their artwork featured in OUC’s annual Water Conservation Calendar while middle and high school students paint water-themed rain barrels for judging.

Project AWESOME delivers an interactive lab to fifth graders in Orange and Osceola counties. For water efficiency, students gain an understanding of how water is supplied by community water systems and learn the importance of water conservation. For renewable energy, students discover how to harness Florida’s natural resource, the sun, to its greatest advantage.

OUC’s efforts to spread the word on water conservation go beyond the classroom. Everyone can help save water by following a few simple tips:

• Water only as needed and then water only a maximum of once per week in cooler months and twice per week in warmer months in accordance with the SJRWMD watering restrictions at www.sjrwmd.com/wateringrestrictions.      
• Water your lawn before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. to minimize the amount lost to evaporation.
• Water your lawn only as needed and just for 35-45 minutes to provide no more than 1/2"-3/4" of water per zone per day. Turn off your irrigation system if it has rained or install a smart irrigation controller.
• Repair leaking faucets and toilets immediately.
• Install EPA WaterSense labeled shower heads and take shorter showers.

For more ways to save water, visit OUC.com/waterconservation.

Well pumps at OUC’s water treatment plants draw water from a natural underground reservoir called the Lower Floridan aquifer. After being sent through ozone contact basins, the water is treated with chlorine and fluoride. The water is then pumped into a finished water storage tank and distributed to residential, commercial and industrial customers. OUC pumps about 32.5 billion gallons of water per year to customers across a 200-square-mile service area.

The foundation for what would eventually become the Orlando Utilities Commission was laid even before the 20th century began. Through much of the 1800s, the community’s only source of water was a town well located next to the Orange County Courthouse at the corner of Central and Main.

 

The Orlando Water Company was formed in 1886 and consisted of a plant and distribution system, which used Lake Highland as its source. In 1889, additional water mains – including about 13.5 miles of pipe – were laid to serve many areas of Orlando with a safe domestic supply and fire protection.

Four years later, a foreclosure resulted in a new corporation, the Orlando Water and Sewerage Company, which was purchased within a year to form the Orlando Water & Light Company (OWLC). Using an additional water supply, Lake Concord, OWLC boosted the system to 23 miles of mains and pipes, covering every part of the City and more than 100 fire hydrants. In 1917, the first filtrated treatment facilities were built to begin treating lake water before passing it into the city mains.

In 1922, the City of Orlando purchased OWLC to form the Orlando Utilities Commission. OUC – The Reliable One, as you know us today, pumps water from the pristine Lower Floridan aquifer to provide safe, clean, great-tasting water to the residents of Orlando and parts of unincorporated Orange County.

MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level.
The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology. 

MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal.
The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.

AL: Action Level.
The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow. 

ppm: Parts Per Million.
One part by weight of analyte to 1 million parts by weight of the water sample.

ppb: Parts Per Billion.
One part by weight of analyte to 1 billion parts by weight of the water sample.

pCi/L: Picocurie per Liter.
Measure of the radioactivity in water.

LRAA: Locational Running Annual Average.
The average of sample analytical results for samples taken at a particular monitoring location during the previous four calendar quarters.

RAA: Running Annual Average.
The average of results computed quarterly, of monthly averages of all samples collected during the previous four calendar quarters.

N/A: Not Applicable.

ND: Not Detected.
Indicates that the substance was not found by laboratory analysis.

MRDLG: Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal.
The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.

MRDL: Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level.
The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.

MFL: Million Fibers Per Liter.
Measure of the presence of asbestos fibers that are longer than 10 micrometers.

The primary source of lead and copper in tap water is customer's plumbing. These elements can possibly leach into the water from a building's plumbing through corrosion if the water has been standing in the pipes for several hours. To prevent corrosion from occurring, OUC has effectively implemented system-wide corrosion control treatment. At the treatment plants, sodium hydroxide is added to the water to increase the water's pH and thus prevent corrosion.

Buildings at risk for lead or copper in the water are those that have lead services or that have lead solder in copper pipes.

If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. OUC is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 or online at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

 Constantly Testing Your Water

OUC’s Water Quality Laboratory is certified by the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) and is accredited to perform a wide scope of analyses. Certification is maintained through an on-site assessment every two years and performance of proficiency testing twice a year. Chemists at OUC’s Water Quality Laboratory perform thousands of chemical and bacteriological tests annually to ensure that your drinking water meets or exceeds all state and federal regulations. Customers can continue to enjoy OUC’s water knowing that it is tested regularly and surpasses the highest quality standards.
For more information about OUC’s drinking water, call our Water Quality Laboratory at 407-434-2549 to talk to a water quality professional. Information is also available online at www.ouc.com.

Source Water Assessment 

In 2023 the Florida Department of Environmental Protection performed a Source Water Assessment on our system. The assessment was conducted to provide information about any potential sources of contamination in the vicinity of our wells. There are 68 unique potential sources of contamination identified for this system with low to high susceptibility levels. The results of the Source Water Assessment are not a reflection of our treated water quality, but rather a rating of susceptibility of contamination under guidelines of the Florida DEP SWAPP program. The latest Source Water Assessment was completed in 2023 and the report is available online at prodapps.dep.state.fl.us/swapp.