Table of Contents
Can You Drink Tap Water in Orlando?
Yes, Orlando's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as Orlando has no active health based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that we are aware of. Other factors such as lead piping in a home, or low levels of pollutants on immunocompromised individuals, should also be considered, however. To find more recent info we might have, you can check out our boil water notice page or the city's water provider website.
According the EPA’s ECHO database, from April 30, 2019 to June 30, 2022, Orlando's water utility, University of Central Florida, had 1 non-health-based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. For more details on the violations, please see our violation history section below. The last violation for Orlando was resolved on Jan. 31, 2021. This assessment is based on the University of Central Florida water system, other water systems in the city may have different results.
While tap water that meets the EPA health guidelines generally won’t make you sick to your stomach, it can still contain regulated and unregulated contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run. These trace contaminants may also impact immunocompromised and vulnerable individuals.
The EPA is reviewing if it’s current regulations around pollutant levels in tap water are strict enough, and the health dangers posed by unregulated pollutants, like PFAS.
Orlando Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years
Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named University of Central Florida for Orlando in Florida. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.
From Jan. 1, 2021 to Jan. 31, 2021, Orlando had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Routine (RTCR) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Total Coliform Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Revised Total Coliform Rule.
From Jan. 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2019, Orlando had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Regular which falls into the Chemicals rule code group, and the Inorganic Chemicals rule code family for the following contaminant code: Nitrate.
From Dec. 1, 2014 to Dec. 31, 2014, Orlando had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Routine Major (TCR) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Total Coliform Rules rule code family for the following contaminant code: Coliform (TCR).
From July 1, 2014 to Sept. 30, 2014, Orlando had 1 health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average which falls into the Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code group, and the Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: TTHM.
From Sept. 1, 2012 to Sept. 30, 2012, Orlando had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Failure to Conduct Assessment Monitoring which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Groundwater Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: E. COLI.
Is there Lead in Orlando Water?
Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the Orlando water system, University of Central Florida, between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.0083 mg/L of lead in Orlando water. This is 55.3% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from Orlando contained more lead.
While Orlando water testing may have found 0.0083 mg/L of lead in its water, that does not mean your water source has the same amount. The amount of lead in water in a city can vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, or even building to building. Many buildings, particularly older ones, have lead pipes or service lines which can be a source of contamination. To find out if your home has lead, we recommend getting you water tested.
No amount of lead in water is healthy, only less dangerous. As lead accumulates in our bodies over time, even exposure to relatively small amounts can have negative health effects. For more information, please check out our Lead FAQ page.
Are there PFAS in Orlando Tap Water?
Currently, testing tap water for PFAS isn’t mandated on a national level. We do have a list of military bases where there have been suspected or confirmed leaks. There appears to be at least one military base - Orlando NTC - near Orlando with suspected leaks.
With many potential sources of PFAS in tap water across the US, the best information we currently have about which cities have PFAS in their water is this ewg map, which you can check to see if Orlando has been evaluated for yet.
Our stance is better safe than sorry, and that it makes sense to try to purify the tap water just in case.
Orlando SDWA Violation History Table - Prior 10 Years
| Compliance Period | Status | Health-Based? | Category Code | Code | Rule Code | Contaminant Code | Rule Group Code | Rule Family Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/01/2021 - 01/31/2021 | Resolved | No | Monitoring Violation (MON) | Monitoring, Routine (RTCR) (3A) | Revised Total Coliform Rule (111) | Revised Total Coliform Rule (8000) | Microbials (100) | Total Coliform Rules (110) |
| 01/01/2019 - 12/31/2019 | Resolved | No | Monitoring and Reporting (MR) | Monitoring, Regular (03) | Nitrates (331) | Nitrate (1040) | Chemicals (300) | Inorganic Chemicals (330) |
| 12/01/2014 - 12/31/2014 | Resolved | No | Monitoring and Reporting (MR) | Monitoring, Routine Major (TCR) (23) | Total Coliform Rule (110) | Coliform (TCR) (3100) | Microbials (100) | Total Coliform Rules (110) |
| 07/01/2014 - 09/30/2014 | Resolved | Yes | Maximum Contaminant Level Violation (MCL) | Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average (02) | Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (220) | TTHM (2950) | Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (200) | Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (220) |
| 09/01/2012 - 09/30/2012 | Archived | No | Monitoring and Reporting (MR) | Failure to Conduct Assessment Monitoring (19) | Ground Water Rule (140) | E. COLI (3014) | Microbials (100) | Groundwater Rule (140) |
What do these Violations Mean?
Safe Drinking Water Act Violations categories split into two groups, health based, and non-health based. Generally, health based violations are more serious, though non-health based violations can also be cause for concern.
Health Based Violations
- Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) - maximum allowed contaminant level was exceeded.
- Maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) - maximum allowed disinfectant level was exceeded.
- Other violations (Other) - the exact required process to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water was not followed.
Non-Health Based Violations
- Monitoring and reporting violations (MR, MON) - failure to conduct the required regular monitoring of drinking water quality, and/or to submit monitoring results on time.
- Public notice violations (Other) - failure to immediately alert consumers if there is a serious problem with their drinking water that may pose a risk to public health.
- Other violations (Other) - miscellaneous violations, such as failure to issue annual consumer confidence reports or maintain required records.
SDWA Table Key
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Compliance Period | Dates of the compliance period. |
| Status |
Current status of the violation.
|
| Health-Based? | Whether the violation is health based. |
| Category Code |
The category of violation that is reported.
|
| Code | A full description of violation codes can be accessed in the SDWA_REF_CODE_VALUES (CSV) table. |
| Contaminant Code | A code value that represents a contaminant for which a public water system has incurred a violation of a primary drinking water regulation. |
| Rule Code |
Code for a National Drinking Water rule.
|
| Rule Group Code |
Code that uniquely identifies a rule group.
|
| Rule Family Code |
Code for rule family.
|
For more clarification please visit the EPA's data dictionary.
Orlando Water - Frequently Asked Questions
| By Phone: | 407-823-2053 |
| By Mail: | 3546 S. PERSEUS LOOP BLDG. 16 ORLANDO, FL, 32816 |
Existing customers can login to their University of Central Florida account to pay their Orlando water bill by clicking here.
If you want to pay your University of Central Florida bill online and haven't made an account yet, you can create an account online. Please click here to create your account to pay your Orlando water bill.
If you don't want to make an account, or can't remember your account, you can make a one-time payment towards your Orlando water bill without creating an account using a one time payment portal with your account number and credit or debit card. Click here to make a one time payment.
Moving to a new house or apartment in Orlando means you will often need to put the water in your name with University of Central Florida. In order to put the water in your name, please click the link to the start service form below. Start service requests for water bills typically take two business days.
Leaving your house or apartment in Orlando means you will likely need to take your name off of the water bill with University of Central Florida. In order to take your name off the water bill, please click the link to the stop service form below. Stop service for water bills requests typically take two business days.
The estimated price of bottled water
$1.95 in USD (1.5-liter)
USER SUBMITTED RATINGS
- Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility
- Water Pollution
- Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility
- Water Quality
The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in Orlando, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).
Related FAQS
Contaminants
Orlando Utilities Commission
EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2019 - March 2019), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.
Utility details
- Serves: 428761
- Data available: 2012-2017
- Data Source: Groundwater
- Total: 11
Contaminants That Exceed Guidelines
- 1%2C3-Butadiene
- Chromium (hexavalent)
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Other Detected Contaminants
- Barium
- Fluoride
- Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
- Molybdenum
- Nitrate
- Selenium
- Strontium
- Vanadium
Reminder
Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.
Sources and Resources
Sources Cited
Additional Resources
Current Weather in Orlando
ORLANDO WEATHERSome of the Convenience Stores in Orlando
- Walgreens
- 7-eleven
- Wise Convenience Store
- Brothers Convenient Store
- Medallion Convenient Stores
- Wawa
- Kwik-E-Mart
- E Z Food Mart
- Circle K
- Airport Plaza
- Food Mart
- Shop-N-Go
- PERSHING FOOD MART
Estimated Price of Bottled Water
| Volume | USD | EUR | GBP |
| 1.5 liter | $2.33 | €2.15 | £1.89 |
The tap water in Orlando, FL, is absolutely safe to drink. Due to organic and some variations of minerals, the water taste might be odd for some: tourist or new residence. The Orlando Utilities Commission and EPA collect and analyze water samples to ensure safety and that the water is within the quality standard set by the WHO and EPA.
If you are after the taste, you can easily buy bottled water from the convenience stores or supermarket. On some hotels or villas, bottled water or filtered water is provided.
In the restaurant, you can request for tap water; however, you like it with ice or not. Others may be using a water filter, or they purify the water for better taste.
And according to the travel agencies and local tourists, they drunk the tap water with no issue.
Source of Water in Orlando, Florida
Orlando drinking water originates from Lower Floridan Aquifer, which is found a quarter-mile underground. This deep aquifer is located underneath layers of sand and clay, as well as being below the Upper Floridan Aquifer and a layer of limestone. The Orlando Utilities Commission runs seven water treatment plants, which pull up the water from the aquifer and treat it before sending it off to customers.
Like many cities and towns in the United States, Orlando applies chlorine to its water to protect consumers toward waterborne illness. While not considered harmful on its own, many people find that the elimination of chlorine from drinking water improves taste and odor. When your tap water is filtered, we think you will notice an immediate taste improvement.
Orlando Faucet Water
How can we trust our drinking water from Orlando to be clean when in reality there are all kinds of impurities and contaminants that are being introduced to our supply via rain, runoff, and even our own industry? You may not realize it but there are thousands upon thousands of toxins and carcinogenic substances that are finding their way into the ground that we are drinking each and every day. While the water that comes out of your tap is certainly safe from these substances, they still add to the problem by getting caught in the drainage system and flowing freely back into the area. The only way to truly have clean water is to have a system installed that catches all of these pollutants before they even make it to the point of entering your home.
You need to understand one fact about water treatment systems. They are designed to kill bacteria, viruses, mold, mildew, and other harmful contaminants from entering your water supply. This will ensure that the water you are drinking is clean and safe to use, however you need to ensure that it reaches that same clean level throughout the entire process, or else it will not be effective. It would be impossible for your tap water to be clean and pure at the same time.
Orlando Drinking Water
The Orlando drinking water system is among the best in the nation. The Orlando Utilities Commission rates every source of water provided by the city at an adequate level for human consumption. However, the treatment methods that are applied to Orlando’s water certainly measure up. When considering quality, there are four levels of quality, which are good, better, satisfactory, and poor. The only method of obtaining a “good” water supply is by treating the water with chlorine, but that defeats the purpose of treating the water in the first place.
Some people do not feel that it is necessary to treat their drinking water with chlorine, because they have never experienced it firsthand. Others say that they do experience stomachaches after drinking chlorinated water, but if someone has ever had a stomachache after drinking water that was chlorinated, they would know that this is far from the truth. It is important to remember that there are many different kinds of toxins present in our tap water. If you are serviced by a public treatment facility, you need to make sure that you are purchasing the best quality water possible.
Orlando drinking water systems offer several options for purification, including reverse osmosis and carbon filtration. Both of these methods remove chlorine, but at different levels. You may think that by purchasing a system that removes all impurities, you will be getting purer water. However, there is no such thing as pure when it comes to tap water. The only way to be completely sure that your family is consuming healthy water is to install a drinking water system of your own.
Orlando Water Quality
Orlando is fortunate to have one of the best public water quality departments in the United States. They are continuously examining how contaminants enter the aquifer and make their way to the tap. They have developed many advanced tools and recently have been using a new kind of testing called subsurface radiometry to determine contamination. These tests can detect all types of contaminants, including organic substances, in the drinking water. These tests do cost money, but the benefit of knowing what exactly is in your drinking water outweighs the cost every day.
One of the things that Orlando water quality professionals are concerned about today is the presence of herbicides and pesticides. We used to think that these chemicals were being sprayed on us by our own lawn care providers, but now we know that many are being absorbed by our drinking water. Our drinking water also contains tiny traces of heavy metals like copper and lead. These metals are toxic when ingested in large amounts, so any increase in your copper levels could lead to health problems. Lead poisoning has been shown to cause behavioral problems and learning disabilities in children. Researchers are still trying to determine how much exposure to lead the average kid takes each day.
Water quality issues are quickly becoming the leading cause of illness and disease in the United States. While disinfection of city water is largely effective, we don’t want to wait until after the treatment plant has finished its work before we start thinking about improving our drinking water. The news reports each morning in Orlando make it look as if we have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to ensure that our water is safe. But you don’t have to spend that much money to protect yourself and your family – it’s easy to install a good filtration system now.
Orlando Water Treatment Plants
Orlando water treatment plants are among the most important parts of the public treatment system. These plants not only treat the wastewater that comes from the households but also the water that is used for industrial and agricultural purposes. These plants have to ensure clean and safe water for the community at large. They also need to test the water several times a day, which may vary depending on the period of time that the tests will be conducted. These tests check for bacteria, algae, heavy metals, and other harmful pollutants.
There are many types of treatment plants in Orlando, but the four most important are the Orlando Water Treatment Center (OCTC), the Melbourne Water Treatment and Sewer Treatment (MWST), and the Orlando Water Treatment Plant (OWTP). All these plants process wastewaters from various sources. The main source of their wastewater is the city of Orlando. Other sources include the sewers of the city, the rivers, and the sea. There are also some residential areas that receive treated sewage.
The main aim of any such water treatment plant is to purify the water and make it suitable for human consumption. This is usually done by using various techniques including reverse osmosis, ultraviolet (UV) water purification, and additional steps. Different plants have different ways of processing the wastewater, but all the plants process wastewater in an efficient and economical manner.