Table of Contents
Can You Drink Tap Water in Winter Garden?
Yes, Winter Garden's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as Winter Garden has no active health based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that we are aware of. Other factors such as lead piping in a home, or low levels of pollutants on immunocompromised individuals, should also be considered, however. To find more recent info we might have, you can check out our boil water notice page or the city's water provider website.
According the EPA’s ECHO database, from April 30, 2019 to June 30, 2022, Winter Garden's water utility, Winter Garden Water Dept (3 Wps), had 0 violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. For more details on the violations, please see our violation history section below. The last violation for Winter Garden was resolved on Sept. 30, 2017. This assessment is based on the Winter Garden Water Dept (3 Wps) water system, other water systems in the city may have different results.
While tap water that meets the EPA health guidelines generally won’t make you sick to your stomach, it can still contain regulated and unregulated contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run. These trace contaminants may also impact immunocompromised and vulnerable individuals.
The EPA is reviewing if it’s current regulations around pollutant levels in tap water are strict enough, and the health dangers posed by unregulated pollutants, like PFAS.
Water Quality Report for Winter Garden Tap Water
The most recent publicly available numbers for measured contaminant levels in Winter Garden tap water are in its 2020 Water Quality Report. As you can see, there are levels which the EPA considers to be acceptable, but being below the maximum allowable level doesn’t necessarily mean the water is healthy.
Lead in tap water, for example, is currently allowed at up to 15ppb by the EPA, but it has set the ideal goal for lead at zero. This highlights how meeting EPA standards doesn’t necessarily mean local tap water is healthy.
EPA regulations continue to change as it evaluates the long term impacts of chemicals and updates drinking water acceptable levels. The rules around arsenic, as well as, lead and copper are currently being re-evaluated.
There are also a number of "emerging" contaminants that are not currently. For example, PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), for which the EPA has issued a health advisory. PFAS are called "forever chemicals" since they tend not to break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time.
We recommend looking at the contaminants present in Winter Garden's water quality reports, or getting your home's tap water tested to see if you should be filtering your water.
Winter Garden Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years
Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named Winter Garden Water Dept (3 Wps) for Winter Garden in Florida. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.
From Sept. 1, 2017 to Sept. 30, 2017, Winter Garden had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Failure to Conduct Assessment Monitoring which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Groundwater Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: E. COLI.
From Nov. 1, 2015 to Nov. 30, 2015, Winter Garden had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Failure to Conduct Assessment Monitoring which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Groundwater Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: E. COLI.
From Jan. 1, 2013 to Dec. 31, 2013, Winter Garden had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Regular which falls into the Chemicals rule code group, and the Inorganic Chemicals rule code family for the following contaminant code: Nitrate.
Is there Lead in Winter Garden Water?
Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the Winter Garden water system, Winter Garden Water Dept (3 Wps), between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.0005 mg/L of lead in Winter Garden water. This is 3.3% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from Winter Garden contained more lead.
While Winter Garden water testing may have found 0.0005 mg/L of lead in its water, that does not mean your water source has the same amount. The amount of lead in water in a city can vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, or even building to building. Many buildings, particularly older ones, have lead pipes or service lines which can be a source of contamination. To find out if your home has lead, we recommend getting you water tested.
No amount of lead in water is healthy, only less dangerous. As lead accumulates in our bodies over time, even exposure to relatively small amounts can have negative health effects. For more information, please check out our Lead FAQ page.
Are there PFAS in Winter Garden Tap Water?
Currently, testing tap water for PFAS isn’t mandated on a national level. We do have a list of military bases where there have been suspected or confirmed leaks. There appears to be at least one military base - Orlando NTC - near Winter Garden with suspected leaks.
With many potential sources of PFAS in tap water across the US, the best information we currently have about which cities have PFAS in their water is this ewg map, which you can check to see if Winter Garden has been evaluated for yet.
Our stance is better safe than sorry, and that it makes sense to try to purify the tap water just in case.
Winter Garden SDWA Violation History Table - Prior 10 Years
| Compliance Period | Status | Health-Based? | Category Code | Code | Rule Code | Contaminant Code | Rule Group Code | Rule Family Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09/01/2017 - 09/30/2017 | Resolved | No | Monitoring and Reporting (MR) | Failure to Conduct Assessment Monitoring (19) | Ground Water Rule (140) | E. COLI (3014) | Microbials (100) | Groundwater Rule (140) |
| 11/01/2015 - 11/30/2015 | Resolved | No | Monitoring and Reporting (MR) | Failure to Conduct Assessment Monitoring (19) | Ground Water Rule (140) | E. COLI (3014) | Microbials (100) | Groundwater Rule (140) |
| 01/01/2013 - 12/31/2013 | Resolved | No | Monitoring and Reporting (MR) | Monitoring, Regular (03) | Nitrates (331) | Nitrate (1040) | Chemicals (300) | Inorganic Chemicals (330) |
What do these Violations Mean?
Safe Drinking Water Act Violations categories split into two groups, health based, and non-health based. Generally, health based violations are more serious, though non-health based violations can also be cause for concern.
Health Based Violations
- Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) - maximum allowed contaminant level was exceeded.
- Maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) - maximum allowed disinfectant level was exceeded.
- Other violations (Other) - the exact required process to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water was not followed.
Non-Health Based Violations
- Monitoring and reporting violations (MR, MON) - failure to conduct the required regular monitoring of drinking water quality, and/or to submit monitoring results on time.
- Public notice violations (Other) - failure to immediately alert consumers if there is a serious problem with their drinking water that may pose a risk to public health.
- Other violations (Other) - miscellaneous violations, such as failure to issue annual consumer confidence reports or maintain required records.
SDWA Table Key
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Compliance Period | Dates of the compliance period. |
| Status |
Current status of the violation.
|
| Health-Based? | Whether the violation is health based. |
| Category Code |
The category of violation that is reported.
|
| Code | A full description of violation codes can be accessed in the SDWA_REF_CODE_VALUES (CSV) table. |
| Contaminant Code | A code value that represents a contaminant for which a public water system has incurred a violation of a primary drinking water regulation. |
| Rule Code |
Code for a National Drinking Water rule.
|
| Rule Group Code |
Code that uniquely identifies a rule group.
|
| Rule Family Code |
Code for rule family.
|
For more clarification please visit the EPA's data dictionary.
Winter Garden Water - Frequently Asked Questions
| By Phone: | 407-466-1375 |
| By Mail: | 171 E PALMETTO ST WINTER GARDEN, FL, 34787 |
Existing customers can login to their Winter Garden Water Dept (3 Wps) account to pay their Winter Garden water bill by clicking here.
If you want to pay your Winter Garden Water Dept (3 Wps) bill online and haven't made an account yet, you can create an account online. Please click here to create your account to pay your Winter Garden water bill.
If you don't want to make an account, or can't remember your account, you can make a one-time payment towards your Winter Garden water bill without creating an account using a one time payment portal with your account number and credit or debit card. Click here to make a one time payment.
Moving to a new house or apartment in Winter Garden means you will often need to put the water in your name with Winter Garden Water Dept (3 Wps). In order to put the water in your name, please click the link to the start service form below. Start service requests for water bills typically take two business days.
Leaving your house or apartment in Winter Garden means you will likely need to take your name off of the water bill with Winter Garden Water Dept (3 Wps). In order to take your name off the water bill, please click the link to the stop service form below. Stop service for water bills requests typically take two business days.
USER SUBMITTED RATINGS
- Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility
- Water Pollution
- Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility
- Water Quality
The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in Winter Garden, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).
Related FAQS
Winter Garden Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report)
The EPA mandates that towns and cities consistently monitor and test their tap water. They must report their findings in an annual Consumer Confidence Report. Below is the most recent water quality report from Winter Garden's Water. If you would like to see the original version of the report, please click here.
w1nTfR GARD[n
2020
Annual Water Quality Report
A Publication of the City of Winter Garden Water Division
We are pleased to present to you this year's Annual Water Quality Report. This report is designed to inform you about the quality of water and services we deliver to you every day. Our constant goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water. We want you to understand the efforts we make to continually improve the water treatment process and protect our water resources. We are committed to ensuring the quality of your water. Our water source is groundwater produced by six (6) deep wells that draw water from the Floridian Aquifer. Our primary method of treatment for drinking water is aeration and disinfection with Sodium Hypochlorite.
The City of Winter Garden routinely monitors for contaminants in our drinking water according to Federal and State laws, rules and regulations. Except where indicated otherwise, this report is based on the results of monitoring for the period of January 1 to December 31, 2020. Data obtained before January 1, 2020 and presented in this report are from the most recent testing done in accordance with the laws, rules, and regulations.
The table on page 3 shows the results of our monitoring for 2020. These test results are from our most recent sampling dates. The state allows us to monitor for some contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Some of our data, though representative, are more than
In 2020 the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) performed a Source Water Assessment on our system. The assessment was conducted to provide information about any potential sources of contamination in the vicinity of our wells. There are 24 potential sources of contamination identified for this system with a range of 0.03 to 111.11 susceptibility level (low to high). The assessment results are available on the FDEP Source Water Assessment and Protection Program website at www.dep.state.fl.us/swapp or they can be obtained from The City of Winter Garden Water Treatment and Pumping Division at
If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. The City of Winter Garden is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Page 1 of 4
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.
Contaminants that may be present in source water include:
- Microbial contaminant, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife.
-
Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban storm water
run-off, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas productions, mining or farming. - Pesticides or Herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water and residential use.
-
Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production. They can also come from gas stations, urban storm water
run-off and septic systems. - Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities. In order in ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations, which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.
To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations, which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health. Drinking water, including bottled water may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at
TERMS:
(ppm): parts per million or milligram per Liter (mg/l) – One part per million corresponds to one minute in two years, or a single penny in $10,000.
(ppb): parts per billion – One part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000.
(pCi/L): picoCuries per Liter – Picocuries per Liter are a measurement of the radioactivity in water.
(AL): Action Level – The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
(MCL): Maximum Containment Level – The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLG as feasible using the best available treatment technology.
(MCLG): Maximum Containment Level Goal – The level of a containment in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
(Range): Indicates the lowest and highest analysis result.
(ND):
(USEPA): United States Environmental Protection Agency
Page 2 of 4
WATER TESTING RESULTS
When our water is tested, the highest number found is used as the established LEVEL for Winter Garden. This is then compared to the MCL, which is the highest level of the contaminant allowed by FDEP.
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City of Winter Garden |
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FDEP |
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Highest Level Found |
Highest Level Allowed |
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↓ |
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↓ |
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Contaminant & Unit of |
MCL/AL |
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Sample |
Likely Source of |
Measurement* |
Violation? |
Level |
RANGE |
MCGL |
MCL |
Date** |
Contaminant |
Inorganic Contaminants |
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Discharge from petroleum refineries, |
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fire retardents, ceramics, electronics, |
Antimony (ppb) |
NO |
0.64 |
0.37 - 0.64 |
6 |
6 |
2/20/2020 |
solder |
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Erosion of natural deposits, |
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from orchards, |
Arsenic (ppb) |
NO |
2.2 |
ND - 2.2 |
0 |
10 |
2/20/2020 |
electronics production wastes |
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Discharge from drilling water, discharge |
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from metal refineries, erosion of natural |
Barium (ppm) |
NO |
0.0613 |
0.0123 - 0.0613 |
2 |
2 |
2/20/2020 |
deposits |
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|
Discharge from steel and paper pulp |
Chromium (ppb) |
NO |
1.08 |
0.84 - 1.08 |
100 |
100 |
2/20/2020 |
mills; erosion of natural deposits |
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Erosion of natural deposits; water |
Fluoride (ppm) |
NO |
0.22 |
0.064 - 0.22 |
4 |
4 |
2/13/2020 |
additives which promote strong teeth |
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septic tanks; sewage; erosion of natural |
Nitrate as Nitrogen (ppm) |
NO |
0.54 |
ND - 0.54 |
10 |
10 |
5/14/2020 |
deposits |
Sodium (ppm) |
NO |
19.1 |
10.4 - 19.1 |
NA |
160 |
2/24/2020 |
Salt water intrusion; leaching from soil |
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Residue from |
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as auto emissions and paint, lead pipe, |
Lead (point of entry) (ppb) |
NO |
0.80 |
0.70 - 0.80 |
NA |
15 |
2/14/2020 |
cadsing, and solder |
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|
Pollution from mining and refining; |
Nickel (ppb) |
NO |
2.47 |
0.88 - 2.47 |
NA |
100 |
2/20/2020 |
erosion of natural deposits |
Trihalomethanes and Stage 2 Disinfectant/Disinfection |
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Trihalomethanes (ppb) |
NO |
24.2 |
17.4 - 24.2 |
NA |
80 |
2020 |
disinfection |
Halocetic Acids (Five) |
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|
HAA5 (ppb) |
NO |
9.2 |
7.8 - 9.2 |
NA |
60 |
2020 |
disinfection |
Copper and Lead (Tap water) |
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Zero sample sites |
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Corrosion of household plumbing; |
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above the action |
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erosion of natural deposits; leaching |
Copper (tap water) (ppm) |
NO |
0.0875 |
level |
1.3 |
1.3 |
6/5/2020 |
from wood preservatives |
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Zero sample sites |
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above the action |
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Corrosion of household plumbing; |
Lead (tap water) (ppb) |
NO |
0.56 |
level |
0 |
15 |
6/20/2020 |
erosion of natural deposits |
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- Contaminant(s) listed in previous reports may not be listed above if the contaminant(s) tested indicate measurements that are below minimum detection limits.
-
The frequency of contaminants testing is determined by the FDEP. The state allows us to monitor for some contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Some of our data, though representative, may be more than
one-year-old.
MCLs are set at very stringent levels. To understand the possible health effects described for many regulated contaminants, a person would have to drink two (2) liters of water every day at the MCL level for a lifetime to have a
Page 3 of 4
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immune compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplant, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These persons should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.
EPA/CDC (Environmental Protection Agency/Center for Disease Control) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline
Violations: The City of Winter Garden Water Treatment & Pumping Division had no monitoring or reporting violations in 2020.
If you have questions regarding this report or your water utility please contact Jason Williams, Water/Wastewater Plant Manager at jwilliams1@cwgdn.com or
The City of Winter Garden encourages you to attend one of our regularly scheduled commission meetings. Meetings are held on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Commission Chambers at City Hall, 300 West Plant Street, Winter Garden, FL 34787. You may contact the City Clerk’s office at
To manage your water utility account and learn more about what is happening in your city, visit the City of Winter Garden’s website at www.cwgdn.com.
Page 4 of 4
Contaminants
Winter Garden Water Department
EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2019 - March 2019), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.
Utility details
- Serves: 69738
- Data available: 2012-2017
- Data Source: Groundwater
- Total: 17
Contaminants That Exceed Guidelines
- Arsenic
- Radium%2C combined (-226 & -228)
- Thallium
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Other Detected Contaminants
- 1%2C4-Dioxane
- Antimony
- Barium
- Chlorate
- Chromium (total)
- Fluoride
- Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
- Manganese
- Molybdenum
- Nitrate
- Selenium
- Strontium
- Vanadium
Reminder
Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.