Orange County, Florida: drinking water report. Orange County – Orlando and surrounding communities – serves about 1.4 million residents.
Orange County – Orlando and surrounding communities – serves about 1.4 million residents. Orlando Utilities Commission and Orange County Utilities are the two largest providers, drawing primarily from the Floridan Aquifer, one of the most productive aquifer systems in the world. The aquifer supplies abundant water, but central Florida's rapid development and tourism infrastructure put growing pressure on both quantity and quality.
The Floridan Aquifer in central Florida is deep and generally well-protected compared to the shallow Biscayne Aquifer in South Florida. But karst geology – the same dissolved-limestone structure found throughout Florida – creates pathways for surface contamination to reach groundwater. Orlando's extensive development, theme park operations, and airport infrastructure all contribute potential contamination vectors.
UCMR5 data shows PFAS detections in several Orange County water systems. Orlando International Airport is a potential PFAS source from firefighting foam use. According to Florida DEP monitoring data, eight public water systems in the county reported PFAS above detection thresholds. Additionally, naturally occurring radium – common in Florida groundwater – has been detected at levels requiring treatment in some county systems.
Orange County's rapid growth means new development areas may be served by recently drilled wells tapping different parts of the aquifer than established neighborhoods.
Check your water to see data specific to your provider and area. For PFAS and radium, reverse osmosis provides effective household treatment. Our water filter guide details which systems handle Florida's specific contaminant mix. Pull your detailed report for trends, and visit our Florida page for statewide context.