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DRINKING WATER WEEK HIGHLIGHTS
OUC’S UNIQUE TREATMENT FACILITIES
Ozone Process
Creates Great Water, Snowballs In -300°F Temperatures
ORLANDO – Showcasing some of the most cutting-edge technology in the
country, OUC—The Reliable One’s drinking water treatment facilities
produce clean, great tasting drinking water for more than 120,000 local
customers.
What makes the eight water facilities even more unique is that year-round they
produce some of the coldest temperatures -- and best snowballs -- in all of
Central Florida.
With National Drinking Water Week running May 1-7, the process used to create
OUC's award-winning water takes center stage. OUC uses liquid oxygen – which is
housed in tanks at about -300 degrees Fahrenheit – to create ozone for the
treatment process. This incredibly low temperature produces a thick coating of
ice and “snow” on tubes near the tanks. Depending on the outside temperature, a
cool, dense fog also surrounds the tanks.
By treating its water with ozone, a strong but safe disinfectant, OUC
dramatically reduces the use of chlorine and other chemicals. Ozone more
effectively removes hydrogen sulfide, a naturally occurring compound that
creates a “rotten egg” smell in water.
“By investing in ozone technology, OUC is proving its dedication to providing
high-quality and safe drinking water for our customers,” said Ken Ksionek, OUC
General Manager and CEO. “Also, unlike water plants with traditional treatment
systems, ozone has allowed OUC to become better neighbors by eliminating the
hydrogen sulfide odor around our water facilities.”
Water originates in the Lower Floridan Aquifer before being pumped through an
ozone treatment basin. The ozone, which is generated on-site at each facility,
is bubbled through the water to remove the hydrogen sulfide.
OUC maintains about 1,670 miles of water pipes in its service area that serve
more than 120,000 local customers. On an average day, OUC pumps about 86 million
gallons of water. OUC’s water testing laboratory recently was awarded a two-year
accreditation and performs more than 20,000 chemical and bacteriological tests a
year.
Established in 1923 by
a special act of the Florida Legislature, OUC—The
Reliable One is the second
largest municipal utility in Florida. OUC provides electric and water services
to more than 196,000 customers in Orlando, St. Cloud and parts of unincorporated
Orange and Osceola counties. |
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