Orange County opens new water supply facility in Horizon West

Orange County recently celebrated the opening of its newest water supply facility in Horizon West. 

On Tuesday, Nov. 2, Orange County Utilities came together for the long-anticipated event. 

According to Orange County, opening a new water facility is a rare event due to the years of planning, design and construction they require.

The county's last facility opened nearly a decade ago. 

“Orange County Utilities worked hard to respond to our growth,” Mayor Jerry Demings said. “It’s wonderful to open a facility able to provide clean, reliable water to our neighbors in the southwestern part of our community.”

The new facility will be crucial in supplying safe and sustainable water to growing communities in the area, including more than 31,000 households in Horizon West.

OUC worked closely with the St. Johns River Water Management District on the permit.

The water produced by the facility will be treated before being sent to residents for daily use.

In addition to daily production, there are also two large storage tanks on-site that will hold two million gallons of water each. This on-site storage will allow the facility to meet the needs of customers during peak times and seasonal variations, according to Orange County. 

“Our engineers, operational personnel, and experienced staff members dedicated years to ensure the facility was designed and constructed responsibly,” Ed Torres, Director of OUC said. “The planning and development of this new water supply site has been underway since 2011 – and for good reason. These facilities require effective and efficient planning years in advance due to their importance to our community. Opening this site is a major accomplishment for our team.”

District 1 Commissioner Nicole Wilson also spoke out about the facility. 

"Water infrastructure is an investment in our health and future,” Wilson said. “Orange County is prepared to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of all residents.”

OUC also explained that it took due care to survey and relocate sand skinks, tortoises and other native wildlife that would have been negatively impacted by the development. 

For more information on the facility, visit the Orange County website.