A precautionary boil water notice covering roughly 10,000 residents on Winter Springs' east side remained in effect Friday, with city officials warning it could stretch into Saturday while they wait on multiple rounds of clear water tests. The order followed a power surge that knocked out pumps at Water Treatment Plant No. 1, cutting water pressure across the affected area for less than 25 minutes before operators got the system back online.
What Triggered the Notice
According to a city alert posted on the Winter Springs city government website, the surge shut down the plant's pumps for under half an hour and caused a loss of water pressure throughout the eastern service area, which runs from the city's southern limits north to Lake Jesup. Plant operators restored power and the treatment plant is now operational, the city said, even as crews continue working to pin down what caused the surge in the first place. The surge shut down the plant's pumps, and operators restored service.
Reeser told the station that low water pressure can allow contaminants to seep into the system, which is why the precaution was issued even though there is no indication the water is actually contaminated. He was explicit that the incident is not linked to the broader water infrastructure concerns that have dogged Winter Springs in recent years, including aging pipes. The power interruption, he said, was the cause here — not a failure of the water infrastructure itself.
Test Results Expected Saturday
Test Results Expected Saturday City officials were awaiting sample results before lifting the notice. Per the city's own notice, the order will stay in effect until the problem has been corrected and a bacteriological survey confirms the water is safe to drink. Reeser said the notice will be lifted once a second round of testing clears any contaminants.
The city is cautioning residents not to read too much into the look of their tap water either way. Discolored water does not automatically mean a boil water notice is necessary, the city said, and clear water does not guarantee that it's safe during an active notice. Some customers may notice discolored water or extra sediment in the meantime, but that sediment does not necessarily indicate contamination.
Schools, Parks and Local Businesses Adjust
Winter Springs turned off water fountains at public parks as a precaution and notified the local school system to limit the impact on students and staff, according to WKMG's reporting. The city said residents would be notified when the notice is lifted.
A City With a History of Boil Water Notices
This is far from Winter Springs' first boil water scare. In 2023, the city had issued 18 precautionary notices by late November, with about half attributed to outside contractors breaking lines during fiber-optic installation, according to Oviedo Community News. That outlet identified aging infrastructure as one of the biggest reasons for the recurring notices and noted the city had planned improvements to wastewater systems, valves and water mains under an updated capital improvement program. A separate notice in the city was expanded after a water-main repair caused a temporary service interruption, affecting addresses on Belle Avenue, WFTV reported.
The city's longer-term fix for those infrastructure worries is already funded. The Winter Springs City Commission approved $65.8 million in March for a new water treatment plant, according to ClickOrlando. That outlet reported that officials and residents have raised concerns about maintaining the existing facility in the meantime.
For now, Winter Springs officials are drawing a clear line between this week's power-surge-driven notice and those longer-running infrastructure questions. Residents in the affected eastern service area are being told to boil tap water for one minute, following CDC and EPA guidance, until the city announces the all-clear.
