Utilities

Orange County FL Utilities provides water, wastewater, reclaimed water, solid waste, and related utility services for customers in Orange County, Florida. This article explains the main services handled by Orange County Utilities, how residential and commercial customers can start or stop water service, how bills and payments work, what to do during utility emergencies, how curbside garbage and recycling collection operates, and where to find information about water quality, irrigation restrictions, hazardous waste, and utility-related development requirements.

Orange County Utilities Services

Orange County Utilities is the county department responsible for several services that residents and businesses may need under one utility system. Its responsibilities include drinking water, wastewater or sewer service, reclaimed water, residential solid waste programs, and utility infrastructure. The county's Water, Garbage & Recycling services page serves as the main official starting point for these programs.

The correct service depends on the issue. A customer opening or closing a utility account generally deals with Utilities Customer Service. A resident reporting a water leak in a county roadway or a wastewater system emergency needs Utilities Emergency Dispatch. Garbage, recycling, yard waste, large-item collection, landfill disposal, and household hazardous waste are handled through the county's solid waste programs. Water-quality questions, watering restrictions, and some irrigation matters fall under the Water Division.

Keeping these functions separate can prevent delays. For example, a missed garbage pickup is not handled through the water emergency process, and an unusually high water bill is different from a water main leak in the county right-of-way. Customers should identify whether their concern involves an account, payment, water or wastewater service, an emergency, curbside collection, disposal, or water-use rules before contacting the county.

Starting Residential Water Service

Orange County Utilities provides two ways for residential customers to establish home service: contacting Utilities Customer Service or using the Utilities Online Account. The county asks customers to make contact at least three days before service is needed. Details for establishing residential and commercial accounts are available on the official Water Service and Rates page.

Deposits and initiation fees depend on the type of service. A water-only account has a $41 deposit plus a $16 initiation fee during regular business hours or $21 during nonbusiness hours. A water and wastewater account has a $135 deposit plus the same applicable initiation fee. A reclaimed water account has a $19 deposit. Initiation fees are not refunded.

The deposit earns interest, which is applied to the monthly utility bill. Orange County Utilities may credit the deposit back to an account after a consecutive 12-month period when all of the county's stated conditions are met:

No more than two late payments.
No checks or debit drafts dishonored by the customer's bank.
No service interruptions caused by late payments.

If the deposit is still being held when the account is closed, the deposit and accrued interest are applied to the final bill.

Commercial Service Accounts

Commercial customers follow a different process. To request new commercial service, the county directs the business to provide the company name, Federal Employer Identification Number, service address, mailing address, telephone number, and a letter on company stationery authorizing the individual who will open the account or conduct business for the company.

The commercial deposit is billed on the first monthly billing statement and is held for the life of the account. Orange County Utilities reviews the deposit annually for sufficiency and may invoice the customer if the existing deposit is insufficient. Commercial customers requesting a water meter installation also work through Utilities Customer Service.

Utility Bills and Payment Methods

Orange County Utilities offers several ways to pay a water or other county utility bill. The county's official bill payment options explain online payments, Auto Pay, automated telephone payments, mail, office payments, kiosks, and the drive-thru drop box.

For customers using the online billing system for the first time, registration is required to create an online profile, although a guest payment option is also available. A registered profile provides access to features such as E-Bill, Auto Pay, stored payment methods, communication preferences, and payment, billing, and consumption history.

Auto Pay and Online Payments

Customers enrolled in Auto Pay have their monthly bill amount automatically drafted from a credit card or bank account 10 calendar days after the billing date. Online payments can also be scheduled without enrolling in automatic payment.

Orange County Utilities limits credit card payments to $2,500 per month. Customers with a past-due bill are directed to use the county's online payment system or automated telephone payment system because an account may already have been scheduled for disconnection.

Phone and Office Payments

The automated telephone system operates 24 hours a day and accepts qualifying debit cards, major credit cards, and e-checks when the utility account is in good standing. Customer service representatives do not take private payment information directly over the phone.

For a credit or debit card payment through the automated system, a customer should have the card number, expiration date, billing ZIP code, and, for a credit card, the card security code. An e-check requires the checking account and routing numbers. The Orange County Utilities account number is also needed. If a customer does not have the account number available, calling from the telephone number associated with the account may allow the system to identify the account.

At the Utilities office, available payment methods vary by payment location. Cashiers accept cash, checks, money orders, qualifying debit cards, and major credit cards during posted business hours. Lobby and drive-thru kiosks accept cash, checks, and credit cards. Payments placed in the drive-thru night drop box are processed on the next business day and must be made by check or money order rather than cash.

Mail Payments and Processing

Customers may mail a check or money order with the bill payment stub to the Orange County Utilities payment mailing address provided at the end of this article. Because a payment must be received and processed into the billing system by the close of business on the due date to avoid a late fee, customers should account for processing time when choosing a payment method.

A late fee equal to 1.5% of the unpaid balance is assessed after the close of business on the bill's due date. Customers with an outstanding utility balance for 30 days or more are subject to service discontinuation until all required charges are paid in full. Those charges may include past-due amounts, service charges, deposits, applicable utility or public service taxes, and current charges.

Disconnection and Service Restoration

After a service disconnection for nonpayment, Orange County Utilities does not guarantee same-day restoration. When a required payment is made, the county states that it attempts to restore service the same day or no later than 8 p.m. on the next business day. Work is performed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Customers should also be aware that the amount needed for reconnection may differ from an earlier notice because additional deposit, disconnection, or reconnection charges may apply. The online and telephone systems may take time to reflect pending charges. Orange County Utilities requires applicable billed and pending charges to be addressed before restoration under its stated procedures.

Stopping Utility Service

Residential customers may provide a stop-service date through the web, by phone, or in writing. The web and telephone stop-service methods described by the county apply to home service. Customers should also provide a forwarding address so Orange County Utilities can send the final bill.

If a refund due after the account is closed is less than $10, the customer must request that refund in writing. Otherwise, the county states that the refund is donated to Orange Cares 4 U, its charitable utility assistance program.

High Water Bill Adjustments

Orange County has a billing-adjustment process for certain unusually high water or reclaimed water consumption. Effective October 1, 2025, customers with 5/8-by-3/4-inch meters and residential customers regardless of meter size may be considered for an adjustment when unusual usage results in a corresponding increase in the monthly bill.

The adjustment process requires the appropriate request form and supporting documentation to be submitted to Orange County Utilities within 60 days of the date of the unusually high consumption. Available adjustment categories include residential lawn replacement, leaks, and pool filling. Submitting all requested documentation is necessary to avoid processing delays. Orange County Utilities investigates and verifies the submitted information before an adjustment is determined.

Water and Wastewater Emergencies

Some utility problems should be handled as service emergencies rather than ordinary account questions. The county's Utility Emergencies information covers water leaks in county rights-of-way or roadways, continuing low-pressure problems, manhole overflows, and wastewater pump or lift station alarms and odors. Utilities Emergency Dispatch operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Sewer Backups and Odors

If sewage begins backing up into a home or a sewer odor is present inside the property, Orange County instructs the customer to contact a certified plumber first. If the plumber determines that the problem is located in the county right-of-way, the customer should then contact Utilities Emergency Dispatch.

Orange County is not responsible for sewer lines on private property. If a problem is on the county side of the system and resulted from county activities, the customer may qualify for reimbursement of plumber expenses. The plumber's receipt should therefore be retained.

Boil Water Advisories

Orange County Utilities may issue a precautionary boil water advisory when an event could affect water quality but contamination has not been confirmed. A mandatory boil water notice is issued when water samples contain confirmed contaminants exceeding an allowable level.

Events that can trigger an advisory or notice include water main breaks, planned or unexpected service interruptions, total or significant loss of pressure, a cross connection without required backflow protection, certain water-sample results, and natural or human-caused disruptions affecting the distribution system.

During a precautionary advisory or mandatory notice, customers are instructed to boil water for at least one minute before using it for drinking, cooking or preparing food, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes by hand. The instruction remains in effect until Orange County Utilities announces that the system has been cleared.

Boiling is not required for laundry, irrigation, ordinary showering or handwashing, or dishwashers operating with a sanitizing cycle. Customers affected by an advisory are generally contacted through the communication method associated with their account. Keeping account contact information and communication preferences current therefore helps ensure that utility notices reach the correct customer.

After the underlying problem has been corrected, the affected system is flushed and disinfected. Water samples are then collected for two consecutive days and tested by the Orange County Utilities Laboratory. At least two days of satisfactory sampling results are required before an advisory or notice can be lifted.

Drinking Water Quality

Orange County's drinking water comes from the Floridan Aquifer, an underground freshwater source naturally filtered as rainwater passes through layers of sand and rock. Orange County Utilities treats and distributes this water and conducts ongoing monitoring and testing. The official Water Quality information includes annual drinking water reports and details about the county's treatment, testing, distribution, and system protection practices.

The county states that its groundwater generally requires limited treatment beyond aeration and disinfection. Water is tested for more than 150 substances according to applicable Florida and federal testing schedules. Orange County also monitors water treatment operations around the clock and maintains a distribution network consisting of more than 2,000 pipes across approximately 470 square miles.

The annual Drinking Water Report, also called the Consumer Confidence Report, provides information about drinking-water sources and laboratory testing results. Orange County publishes the report to satisfy federal and state requirements and make current water-quality information available to customers.

Lawn Watering Rules

Orange County's irrigation schedule applies to landscape irrigation regardless of whether the water comes from a public utility, private utility, private well, pump, groundwater, or surface water. Current schedules and enforcement details are provided on the county's Watering Restrictions page.

Outdoor irrigation is generally limited to one day per week during Eastern Standard Time, from the first Sunday in November through the second Sunday in March, and two days per week during Daylight Saving Time, from the second Sunday in March through the first Sunday in November. Watering should occur only when necessary, must not occur between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and is limited to one hour per irrigation zone.

New Sod and Landscaping

A temporary exception applies to newly installed sod or landscaping. New areas may be watered on any day and at any time during the first 30 days after installation, followed by every other day during the next 30 days. The exception applies only to the areas containing the new sod or landscaping and only to the amount of water needed for establishment.

Residents seeking to use this exception must provide Orange County Utilities with their name, telephone number, address, and receipts for sod or landscape purchases to avoid a watering violation during the establishment period. The watering exception does not provide an exception from normal water rates, so increased irrigation may cause a significantly higher utility bill.

For enforcement, a first watering violation results in a warning through a door hanger and letter. Repeat violations are subject to a $25 fine per violation. A person contesting a violation may request a hearing and pay the stated $25 filing fee. Failure to pay or contest the violation within 30 days is treated as an admission of liability, and the county may use available collection methods, including adding the fine to the account holder's water bill.

Garbage and Recycling Collection

Orange County Utilities provides a Residential Curbside Collection Program for eligible residents of unincorporated Orange County. Garbage, recycling, yard waste, and large items are each collected once per week. Collection rules, damaged-cart information, disposal guidance, and missed-service procedures appear on the county's residential garbage and recycling page.

Carts should be placed within three feet of the curb no earlier than 6 p.m. the evening before collection and no later than 6 a.m. on the assigned collection day. Collection crews have until 8 p.m. to finish their routes. Cart lids should remain fully closed, and carts should not be overfilled.

Residents should leave at least three feet of clearance between carts, mailboxes, parked vehicles, and low-hanging tree limbs so the collection truck's mechanical arm can operate. Cart handles should face the home and lid arrows should face the street. Garbage, recycling, yard waste, and large items should remain separated rather than being mixed together.

Recycling Cart Materials

The blue-lid recycling cart is limited to the recyclable materials identified by the county. Recyclables should be empty, dry, and placed loosely in the cart rather than inside bags. Accepted categories include:

Plastic bottles, jugs, tubs, and clear to-go cups without straws or lids.

Tin, aluminum, and steel cans.

Glass bottles and jars.

Flattened corrugated cardboard.

Approved paper products, including newspapers, paper bags, magazines, catalogs, office paper, certain paper cups and sleeves, boxes, and milk or juice cartons.

Plastic garbage bags and shopping bags should not be placed in the recycling cart. Garbage, hazardous chemicals, medical waste, fluorescent bulbs, tires, paint, and yard waste also have different disposal requirements and should not be mixed with regular curbside recycling.

Yard Waste Limits

Yard waste includes grass, tree and shrub trimmings, and other vegetative landscaping material. It is collected on the same day as recycling. The weekly limit is three cubic yards per household, approximately the volume of three stoves.

Residents may place yard waste in their own bags or cans. Each bag or container must weigh less than 60 pounds when full. Cans must be 50 gallons or smaller, waterproof, equipped with a tight-fitting lid, and have handles on the sides.

Limbs, palm fronds, and similar materials must be cut to three feet or shorter and bundled with string or twine, with each bundle weighing less than 60 pounds. Stumps must also be cut into pieces no longer than three feet and weighing less than 60 pounds each.

Large Item Collection

Furniture, mattresses, appliances, televisions, and up to four passenger-car tires may qualify for large-item collection. Large items are collected on the same day as garbage and are limited to three cubic yards per household each week.

Items that fit inside the regular garbage cart are not collected as large items. Freezers, refrigerators, and other devices containing Freon are also excluded from the curbside collection program. Residents should keep all discarded materials away from utility meters and utility boxes so maintenance and service access remains clear.

Missed Collection Reports

When garbage, recycling, yard waste, or eligible large items are missed, residents may report the problem to the Solid Waste Management Division. The county asks customers reporting by email to provide their name, street address, contact information, and details about the issue.

In most cases, missed items reported before 11 a.m. are collected the same day. Reports made after 11 a.m. are scheduled for the next business day. A report made after 11 a.m. on Friday is processed for Monday service.

Household Hazardous Waste

Household hazardous waste should not be placed in garbage or recycling carts. Orange County provides county drop-off locations for eligible household hazardous and electronic waste, with preparation requirements explained on the official Household Hazardous Waste page.

Examples of accepted household hazardous waste include certain paint products, pesticides, propane tanks, cooking oil, fluorescent bulbs, automotive fluids, rechargeable batteries, household cleaning fluids, and pool chemicals. Paint and chemicals are limited to 25 gallons per vehicle.

Before transporting hazardous materials, residents should label each material and mark an unidentified substance as “unknown.” Different chemicals and unknown materials should not be mixed. A leaking container should be packed inside a larger container with absorbent material to control leakage during transportation.

Certain materials are excluded from the household hazardous waste program, including biological materials, radioactive materials, explosives, ammunition, tires, fireworks, emergency flares, prescription drugs, rear-projection televisions, and most pressurized cylinders. Propane tanks are accepted subject to the county's stated size limits.

Electronics Disposal

Electronics should not be placed in the blue-lid recycling cart. The county treats devices containing circuit boards as electronic waste. Examples include cell phones, computers, tablets, televisions other than rear-projection sets, VCRs, CD players, and stereos. Eligible electronics may be brought to county household hazardous waste collection locations or events.

Rear-projection television sets cannot be recycled through that program. The county directs residents to dispose of those televisions through large-item curbside pickup when applicable.

Landfill and Transfer Stations

Residents and other customers needing to take waste directly to a county disposal facility can review locations, hours, accepted materials, and disposal charges on the Landfill and Transfer Stations page. Orange County operates the Orange County Landfill, Porter Transfer Station, and McLeod Road Transfer Station.

Disposal rules vary by facility and material. Certain construction and demolition debris and asbestos are accepted only at the landfill. Yard waste is accepted at the transfer stations only during the specified Saturday hours. Tire restrictions also depend on tire type, quantity, and disposal location.

The minimum disposal charge is $9. Uncovered loads are charged a double fee, and mixed loads are charged at the higher applicable tonnage rate. Customers who fail to weigh out are charged based on the deposit collected. Accepted payment methods include cash, check, and major credit cards.

Utility Construction and Development

Orange County Utilities also has engineering responsibilities for water, wastewater, reclaimed water, and solid waste infrastructure. These functions are generally relevant to developers, engineers, contractors, and property owners involved in utility construction rather than ordinary monthly account service.

The Utilities Engineering Division manages capital improvement work intended to accommodate growth, modernize or expand existing facilities, and renew aging utility infrastructure. The department's Capital Improvement Program includes water, wastewater, reclaimed water, and solid waste projects.

Separate development engineering requirements govern projects involving utility plans, system connections, inspection, construction specifications, hydraulic modeling, and record drawings. These procedures should not be confused with the customer-service process for opening a residential water account or paying a monthly utility bill.

Utility Connection Charges

For development projects connecting to Orange County Utilities systems, the county assesses capital charges under its utility permitting procedures. The current water capital charge stated in the reference material is $2,790 per Equivalent Residential Connection, and the wastewater capital charge is $5,270 per Equivalent Residential Unit. The county states that there is currently no capital charge for new connections to its reclaimed-water distribution system.

Plan-review and inspection fees vary by project type and the division receiving the plans. Inspection fees are 2.4% of construction cost, with a minimum inspection fee of $120. Projects costing more than $5,000 require a signed and sealed engineer's detailed cost estimate for purposes of the inspection-fee calculation.

Departments and Offices

Orange County Utilities
9150 Curry Ford Road, Orlando, FL 32825
(407) 836-5515
Orange County Utilities Bill Payments
P.O. Box 105573, Atlanta, GA 30348-5573
(407) 836-5515
Solid Waste Management Division
5901 Young Pine Road, Orlando, FL 32829
(407) 836-6601
Orange County Landfill
5901 Young Pine Road, Orlando, FL 32829
(407) 836-6601
Porter Transfer Station
1326 Good Homes Road, Orlando, FL 32818
(407) 836-6601
McLeod Road Transfer Station
5000 L.B. McLeod Road, Orlando, FL 32811
(407) 836-6601
Water Watch Orange County Utilities
9150 Curry Ford Road, 3rd Floor, Orlando, FL 32825
(407) 254-9850
Utilities Engineering Division
9150 Curry Ford Road, 2nd Floor, Orlando, FL 32825
(407) 254-9900

Utilities FAQs

Can an irrigation meter lower my water bill?

It may help customers who receive both water and wastewater service and use an automatic irrigation system. Orange County Utilities explains that water measured through a separate irrigation meter is not charged at the higher wastewater rate because that water is being used outdoors rather than entering the sewer system. A plumbing permit is required before the irrigation-meter application is returned to the county. Customers should first review the county's water service requirements to determine whether an irrigation meter is available and appropriate for their property.

How are residential curbside collection charges billed?

For homes covered by Orange County's Residential Curbside Collection Program, curbside service charges are billed through property taxes rather than as a regular monthly garbage bill. Newly constructed homes are handled differently at first and receive their initial curbside-services bill from Orange County Utilities. Because curbside collection information applies specifically to residents of unincorporated Orange County, homeowners should confirm that their address falls within the county program before relying on its collection rules.

What should I do if my garbage or recycling cart is damaged?

Existing customers in unincorporated Orange County can submit the county's roll cart repair or replacement request. The form asks which cart is damaged, which parts need attention, and the cart serial number. Customers must leave the damaged cart visible and accessible from the street so it can be serviced. Requests from residents of municipalities outside the county's curbside program are not processed through this form.

Why does the utility website ask me to reset my password?

Orange County Utilities introduced a newer self-service billing system with enhanced security. Customers using credentials from the previous system may be prompted to create a stronger password when signing in. Existing automatic-payment customers were transferred into the current Auto Pay system, so enrollment generally does not need to be recreated. The county's online billing FAQs also explain profile setup, stored payment methods, guest payments, and account-history features.