From Beneath the Ground: Orlando’s Water Source
Unlike many cities that rely on rivers or reservoirs, Orlando’s water starts deep underground. Nearly 90% of Florida’s drinking water comes from the Floridan Aquifer, a massive underground limestone formation holding billions of gallons of fresh water. This aquifer stretches beneath all of Florida and parts of Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina.
In Orlando, wells drilled hundreds of feet into the aquifer pull water up to the surface. The quality here is naturally high—groundwater is filtered through layers of sand and rock over decades. However, it’s not ready for your glass just yet. Minerals like sulfur and calcium are often present, which can make water “hard” and give it a distinctive taste if untreated.
While Central Florida is fortunate to have abundant access to this underground source, many places around the world—and even within the United States—are not as lucky. According to the United Nations, over two billion people globally live in countries experiencing high water stress, and the World Health Organization estimates that one in four people lack safely managed drinking water. Closer to home, communities in the American West face prolonged droughts, and places like Flint, Michigan, and Jackson, Mississippi, have made headlines for struggles with safe, reliable water access. These challenges highlight just how valuable Orlando’s aquifer is and why protecting water quality and infrastructure matters for the future.
The Transformation: Water Treatment in Orlando
Once drawn from the aquifer, water heads to one of Orlando’s seven water treatment plants, operated by Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC). Here’s where science steps in to ensure safety and quality.
At the treatment facility, the water undergoes ozonation, a powerful disinfection process that uses oxygen to neutralize bacteria, viruses, and organic materials. This is different from the chlorine-heavy methods used in many U.S. cities and leaves water with a cleaner taste and fewer byproducts.
Still, Orlando water—like all municipal supplies—contains small amounts of chemicals to protect public health and infrastructure. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), allowable substances in tap water can include:
Chlorine and chloramine, disinfectants that keep bacteria from growing as water travels through pipes.
Fluoride, added to prevent tooth decay.
Corrosion inhibitors like orthophosphate, which reduce lead or copper leaching from pipes.
In some areas across the U.S., researchers have found trace levels of contaminants like PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), sometimes called “forever chemicals” because they don’t easily break down in the environment.
The Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) regularly tests Orlando’s drinking water to meet or exceed all EPA standards, and annual reports confirm compliance with federal safety limits. Still, understanding what’s in your water helps you decide if extra in-home protection—like the HALO filtration systems - makes sense for your family.
The Highway of Pipes: Delivery to Your Home
From treatment plants, water travels through an underground network of distribution pipes, some stretching for miles beneath Orlando’s streets. This system operates under pressure, ensuring water can reach homes on both flat land and higher elevations.
Along the way, the integrity of those pipes matters. Even minor leaks can allow outside contaminants to sneak in, especially during pressure drops. While OUC constantly monitors the system, what happens after the water enters your property line is up to you. Aging household pipes, corroded connections, and neglected fixtures can all impact the quality of the water that finally splashes into your sink.
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Once It Reaches Your Faucet
By the time Orlando’s water pours from your tap, it’s been on a journey that’s both natural and highly engineered. Inside the home, though, the story continues. Hard water can leave calcium buildup on faucets, reduce the efficiency of water heaters, and shorten the lifespan of dishwashers and washing machines. In fact, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates that 85% of U.S. homes have hard water, which contributes to mineral deposits in pipes and appliances.
That’s why many Orlando homeowners install water softeners or filtration systems to keep appliances running longer and drinking water tasting better. ServiceOne helps homeowners maintain these systems, ensuring that the water you drink, cook with, and bathe in stays fresh and clean. From installing whole-home filters to repairing fixtures, keeping that last leg of the water’s journey safe is as important as all the work done at the aquifer and treatment plant.
The Return Journey: Wastewater’s Path
Of course, water doesn’t stay in your home. Once it swirls down a drain, it begins a new chapter—into the wastewater system. In Orlando, sewage flows to treatment facilities where it is cleaned through physical, biological, and chemical processes.
Remarkably, much of this water is recycled. The city produces “reclaimed water” used for irrigation in neighborhoods, golf courses, and parks. According to OUC, Orlando distributes tens of millions of gallons of reclaimed water every day, helping reduce the demand on the aquifer and keeping Florida’s water future sustainable.
Why the Journey Matters
Every step in this hidden cycle—from aquifer to faucet to wastewater treatment—reminds us how vital clean water is and how much effort goes into making it safe. For homeowners, the responsibility doesn’t end at the property line. Your plumbing system is the last safeguard in the chain, ensuring the water remains pure until it reaches your family.
It’s also important to remember that even though Orlando currently has reliable access to water, scarcity is a growing challenge in many parts of the world—and across the United States. Drought conditions in the West, combined with infrastructure struggles in places like Flint, Michigan, and Jackson, Mississippi, remind us that safe, abundant water should never be taken for granted. Conserving water at home—fixing leaks, upgrading to efficient fixtures, and maintaining appliances—helps protect this resource for the future while also lowering utility costs.
ServiceOne plays a key role in this partnership. Whether it’s maintaining water heaters, repairing leaking pipes, or installing filtration systems, we make sure the water that arrives at your home finishes its journey just as clean and refreshing as when it left the treatment plant.
Water and the Wise Ben Franklin
The next time you take a sip of Orlando tap water, think about the travel adventures it has had —through ancient aquifers, cutting-edge treatment plants, and miles of underground pipes. It’s a hidden life that deserves a little recognition. And with ServiceOne by your side, you can be confident that the water flowing into your home and out again is safe, efficient, and treated with the care it deserves.
Ben Franklin once said, “"When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.” How true.
Avoid water issues by calling ServiceOne Air Conditioning and Plumbing!