Residents of St. Cloud Mobile Home Park say they have been hauling water jugs just to flush their toilets, after water outages and inconsistent pressure hit the community for more than two months. The trouble started in early September 2026, and as of this week, nobody has told them when — or whether — it will be fixed.
Jimmy Mateo, who lives in the park, said he was initially told the water issue would last about three weeks, according to Spectrum News 13. Instead, he has spent weeks buying and filling gallons of water jugs just to flush his toilet and get through daily tasks, and he said the situation felt hopeless. Other residents described similar disruptions to flushing toilets, washing dishes and showering.
Owner and Water Authority Point in Different Directions
St. Cloud Mobile Home Park is owned by COARE Communities, and the property operates a private water distribution system. Under that setup, TOHO Water Authority is responsible for water delivery only through the community's master meters, while the property owner owns and maintains everything beyond them, the station's report notes.
TOHO conducted multiple checks of water delivery to the community's master meters and pressure at surrounding-area fire hydrants, according to Caitlin Dineen, the utility's director of strategic communications and external affairs. Per the same account, TOHO found no known issues with its water delivery or pressure leading into the community and confirmed water was flowing properly during checks, including Tuesday.
Kelly Cardozo, COARE Communities' regional property manager, said the company is investigating reports of low water pressure affecting a limited number of homes. Cardozo said COARE is working with local plumbing contractors and an independent third-party consultant to determine whether the restriction lies in resident-owned plumbing or community-owned infrastructure, and that the investigation is ongoing with corrective actions to be implemented as needed.
Residents Say They're Being Left in the Dark
Mateo said he contacted several past and current COARE Communities managers about the water issues, but per texts he shared, some managers did not respond to his messages. He also said he contacted TOHO Water directly and reported seeing no plumbing trucks arrive to address the problem. Mateo and other residents said they had received no solution or updates about the investigation, and the article notes residents broadly reported difficulty reaching property management.
Resident Lucinda Catte said she had sought help but the water problem remained unresolved. Catte also said homes in the community had for-sale signs posted, but potential buyers were deterred by the park's reputation following earlier electrical problems.
New Utility Charges Add to Frustration
On top of the water troubles, property management sent residents a notice titled “Notice of Changes in Utility Charges” dated October 30, 2026, giving 60 days' notice of monthly sewer and trash charges. Those charges will be allocated on a prorated basis, and residents said they were concerned that remaining tenants could face higher monthly bills if others leave the park.
This is not the community's first infrastructure headache this year. In September 2026, St. Cloud Mobile Home Park residents also reported power outages, and in August, part of the community lost electricity for several days after a failure on a customer-owned line within the park, according to ClickOrlando. OUC said at the time that park management had directed it to disconnect power for safety, and that service would be restored once the property's management completed necessary repairs.
Water troubles are not unheard of at mobile home communities around St. Cloud. A 2024 report from the Orlando Sentinel described residents at the separate Lake Runnymeade Mobile Home Park going without water for as many as 13 hours a day, with some using buckets of unchlorinated pool water just to flush their toilets. That case does not establish what is behind the current problem at St. Cloud Mobile Home Park, but it underscores how fragile privately run water systems at aging parks can be.
Florida law, under Chapter 723 of the Florida Statutes, defines user fees as charges added on top of lot rent for nonessential optional services provided through a park owner under a separate written agreement, according to The Florida Senate. Meanwhile, the Florida Department of Health in Osceola County notes that county health departments are responsible for supervising private, multi-family and limited-use public water systems. For now, residents of St. Cloud Mobile Home Park are left waiting to see whether COARE Communities' investigation turns up answers — and whether their taps, and their trust in management, can be restored.
