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WATER |
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The Public Utility operation begins with water
production. Currently the City of Ocoee has two water treatment
plants ? the South Water Treatment Plant and the Forest Oaks
Water Treatment Plant. These plants are manned by highly trained
operators who continually maintain their educational
requirements and stay aware of new federal, state and regional
requirements regarding water production. Please view the City of
Ocoee's Annual Consumer Confidence Reports
for additional information on water quality.
High Service Pumps are the workhorses of the system. These are
pumps that pressurize water so that it can be pumped to remote
locations for use in homes and businesses. These pumps maintain
the pressure in the water lines for you and most importantly the
fire department. Without water pressure, there would be no water
flowing from our faucets or out of the hydrants that are used to
protect us from fire.
In addition to the High Service Pumps, there is constant
monitoring of the chemicals that are added to the water:
chlorine for disinfection and fluoride for dental health.
Laboratory tests are continually performed to assure consistent
water quality and that the water meets or exceeds federal and
state standards. |
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OVERVIEW OF WATER TREATMENT
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Florida Water Reservoir
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Florida's water reservoirs are mostly underground in sand or
limestone layers called aquifers. Aquifer water can range from fresh
to salt. Freshwater aquifers are Florida's primary source of
drinking water and they are tapped into by drilling wells. All but a
few of Florida's Water Treatment Facilities use ground water as
their supply source for drinking water. The Floridan Aquifer
contains some of the purest drinking water in the State of Florida.
In Northern and Central Florida, most of the water consumed
comes from the Floridan Aquifer that lies below the entire state. In
Southern Florida and along the coastal areas, the Floridan Aquifer
is much deeper and is influenced by salt water intrusion.
The City of Ocoee pumps its water from very deep wells, about
1,500 feet in depth. We use the water from the lower Floridan
Aquifer because it is purer and meets the SDWA and FDGP standards.
The water is then pumped up to the surface where it is aerated,
fluoridated and disinfected for treatment.
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Chlorine
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The sodium hypochlorite (bleach) that we use originates from
a salt and electrolysis process. This process is a safe way to
administer chlorine into the drinking water system. This process
totally eliminates the use of gaseous chlorine and creates a
safer environment for the community. The strength of the sodium
hypochlorite used in the water is 0.08% - far less than common
household bleach - which has 5% strength. Although the sodium
hypochlorite method of disinfection is vastly different from the
traditional liquid or gas injection process, it does raise the
salt content of the water. However, the increase in salt is so
insignificant that it is not detectable to the palette, unlike
the salt content of water softener. |
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Fluoride
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The fluoride that is put into water significantly aids in
dental protection. The chemical has been studied more thoroughly
than any other public health measure throughout the past 50
years. Every major health organization in the US recommends
fluoridation. The amount of fluoride that is put into the water
is equivalent to 0.8 ppm (parts per million). To put this in
layman's terms, the amount of fluoride injected into the water
is equivalent to one (1) minute in two (2) years; or one (1)
penny in $10,000.
After these chemicals are injected into the water, it goes to a
ground storage tank for stabilization, to allow the chemicals to
interact with the water, and to disinfect it for use and
consumption. Our water plants can pump and process up to 9.5
million gallons of water per day during the peak season. The
peak season is March through September. During the other five
(5) months, the plant processes up to 5 million gallons of water
per day. |
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