Pluris has finally responded to growing concerns about the water coming from the east Orange County this week, defending its service to Wedgefield.
- Water tests at some Wedgefield homes show high levels of TTHMs, a byproduct
- Wedgefield's water is handled by Pluris, a private company
- The FDEP says Pluris will have to do additional testing
The private water company said Wedgefield’s water is safe to drink, despite elevated levels of certain chemicals.
The company also asserted that every utility is challenged by disinfectant byproducts, such as Total Trihalomethanes, or TTHMs.
Managing member and principal engineer Maurice W. Gallarda, PE, issued this statement on behalf of Pluris Wednesday:
"Our Florida staff has been and continues to work with the [Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection]. As with the other utilities in Orange County where elevated TTHM levels have occurred, Pluris is actively investigating the matter with civil engineering firms and will prepare a corrective action plan and present it to the FDEP for approval and implementation to lower the level and remain in compliance."
“They’re not doing a good enough job at providing the safe drinking water supply to the residents of Wedgefield," said Commissioner Ted Edwards, who represents Orange County District 5.
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Last week, Edwards’ office sent us the FDEP’s response to neighbors, as it relates to their water sampling.
The FDEP told Wedgefield residents that the water plant must make changes to its operations, but there’s no imminent health risk.
Pluris will also be required to do more sampling, and the DEP will make results available to the community.
The water company said since the company is investor owned, rates and charges are set by the Florida Public Services Commission. And because it is a smaller utility and has to treat area water with advanced methods, it is more costly.