ORANGE COUNTY, Fla.,None — It will be at least two days before hundreds of homes, businesses and schools can use their water without boiling it in Orange County, according to county officials.
A water line broke on Monday on Apopka-Vineland Road, affecting five neighborhoods and Sand Lake Elementary School.
WFTV reporter Steve Barrett learned that it's the second time in two years the area has had a boil water alert.
More than 1,200 residents who live near Dr. Phillips off Apopka-Vineland Road woke up with no running water because of a rupture that happened underground in one of the counties busiest water lines, officials said.
Resident Louay Salem said she noticed before the sun rose.
"We are lucky we have some bottled water, but you really take things for granted. Water is so important," Salem said.
Salem said her daughter's preschool was affected, along with several churches and Sand Lake Elementary.
Signs have been placed in the area warning about the boil alert, and students said they are drinking bottled water for now.
Workers spent the first half of the day repairing the ruptured line.
WFTV learned that crews tore apart a sidewalk to do the repair, and a sidewalk next to it was replaced during the repair two years ago.
An Orange County utilities spokesperson said the water main was not particularly old or in bad shape, but it pumps more water than many similar pipes.
Officials said they will evaluate what might have gone wrong and decide whether more of the line needs attention to prevent similar outages.
"It does bother me, because obviously we're living in the number one country in the world and this should not happen in such frequency," said Salem.
Officials said that although there was no evidence of contamination of the public water supply, the boil water advisory was put into place as a precaution.
It was recommended to residents and businesses to boil all water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth or washing dishes, prior to use, officials said.
However, officials said the water is safe for bathing and laundering.
WFTV was told that water samples were being collected and analyzed during the two-day advisory.
Authorities said residents and businesses will be notified when the precaution is no longer in effect.
Residents can call the Boil Water Hotline for a prerecorded message at 407-254-9670 at any time.
WFTV
