Skip to main content
     Search our site     Español

Utility Emergencies

Learn about what to do, who to call, and what to expect.

Is There an Active Boil Water Advisory in My Area?

Call the Boil Water Hotline at 407-254-9670 for the latest information on active boil water advisories and notices. If a boil water advisory or notice is issued, affected customers will be notified directly via their preferred method of contact as noted on their account. To verify or update your contact information, call our Customer Service team at 407-836-5515. You can set your communication preferences via the web portal at www.ocfl.net/PayUtilities.

Utility Emergencies

Utilities Emergency Dispatch is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 407-836-2777. Call us to report utility emergencies such as:

  • Water leaks (in the county right-of-way or roadway)
  • Continued low pressure problems
  • Manhole overflows
  • Wastewater pump (lift) station alarms and odors

About Boil Water Advisories and Notices

We know how important it is for you to trust the safety of your tap water. When something unexpected happens that might affect water quality, we issue a precautionary boil water advisory to help protect you and your family. This advisory instructs customers to boil their tap water before consuming it due to a slight chance of contamination. It’s a proactive step we take as soon as we are aware of a situation that may impact water safety — before any laboratory testing has occurred. Mandatory boil water notices are issued when there are confirmed results of contaminants in water samples exceeding an allowable level.

If you are notified that your area is under a precautionary boil water advisory or mandatory boil water notice, you should boil for at least one minute all water used for drinking, preparing or cooking food, making ice, brushing teeth, or handwashing dishes prior to use. Continue to boil your tap water prior to consuming it until we announce the water system is cleared (at least 48 hours) and safe to drink.

You can call the Boil Water Hotline at 407-254-9670 for information on the status of a boil water advisory or notice.

  • Water main breaks, planned service interruptions, unexpected or third-party disruptions, or situations that may compromise water quality or system integrity
  • Total loss of water pressure or, in some cases, pressure below 20 PSI (pounds per square inch) in the system
  • Water samples showing signs of waterborne pathogens
  • A cross connection without required backflow protection that may have allowed contaminants into the water supply
  • A man-made disruption or natural disaster that interrupts water service in the distribution system
  • If you have power:
    The Florida Department of Health recommends bringing water to a rolling boil for a least one minute. Let the water cool before using.
  • If you're without power:
    Disinfect the water by adding eight drops or about 1/8 teaspoon of plain, unscented household bleach per gallon of water and let it stand for 30 minutes.
  • Laundering items
  • Washing dishes in a dishwasher with a sanitizing cycle
  • Showering or handwashing
  • Irrigation

We will only notify you of a boil water advisory or notice if it affects your address.

  • Automated phone call, text, or email: Our system typically will use your preferred contact method, as selected during account setup, to deliver a message informing you of the advisory or notice. If you did not select a preference, the default is an automated phone call.
  • Other notification methods: Door notices may be delivered for advisories or notices depending on the circumstances. We may use news and social media outlets, and temporary signs to keep everyone informed.

A boil water advisory or notice will last until it is lifted by Orange County Utilities. The length of an advisory or notice may vary depending on the cause, the time needed to fix the issue, and the lab results. Once the issue has been corrected, two consecutive days of satisfactory lab results are required to lift a boil water advisory.

For a precautionary boil water advisory, the likelihood of becoming ill is low. Out of an abundance of caution, these advisories are issued before any laboratory testing has occurred. If you drank the water and are experiencing symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or abdominal cramps, you should seek medical attention. These symptoms are not unique to exposure to potential contaminants/organisms in water, and a doctor's involvement would be key to identifying the cause of your illness.

After an Advisory or Notice is Issued

We know boil water advisories and notices can be inconvenient, and we appreciate your patience as we work to protect your health and safety. These are the steps we follow and what you can expect after a boil water advisory is issued.

  • Flushing icon

    Flushing and disinfection

    Once the water main is repaired, it is flushed, disinfected, and monitored for chlorine residual according to industry standards and best practices.
  • Bacteriological icon

    Bacteriological sampling

    Water samples are collected from the impacted area for two consecutive days. The number of samples depends on the number of connections affected by the water system outage.
  • Laboratory testing

    Laboratory testing

    Samples are tested at the Orange County Utilities Laboratory to confirm water quality. A minimum of two days of sampling with satisfactory results are required before the boil water advisory or notice can be lifted.
  • Agency notification

    Agency notification

    We notify the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the Florida Department of Health when the boil water advisory is issued and again when it’s lifted. We submit water quality test results to the FDEP.
  • Customer notification

    Customer notification

    Once the water is confirmed to be safe, we’ll notify you using the same methods we used to issue the boil water advisory.

Sewer Backups/Odors

If the sewer starts backing up into your house or if you have a sewer odor in your home, first:

  1. Call a certified plumber.
  2. If the plumber determines the problem is in the county right-of-way, call 407-836-2777. If the problem is located on the county side of the system and the cause is related to the county's activities, you may be eligible for reimbursement of plumber expenses. Please keep the certified plumber's receipt. Orange County is not responsible for sewer lines on private property.

Contact Us

Boil Water Hotline: (407) 254-9670
Emergency Dispatch: (407) 836-2777