ORLANDO (FL) On Friday, the mayor of Orlando asked residents to stop watering their yards and washing their cars for at least a week. He said that water consumption had to be reduced due to the recent rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations.
Mayor Buddy Dyer stated that the Orlando Utility Commission treats water in the city with liquid oxygen. Normally, water treatment supplies are diverted to hospitals for those suffering from the virus.
We recognize that the No. Dyer stated at a news conference that hospitals should have the No. 1 priority for liquid oxygen."
The city-owned utility normally uses 10 trucks of liquid oxygen per week, but its supplier recently stated that it would reduce this to five to seven trucks per week in order to accommodate hospitals. Linda Ferrone is OUC's chief client and marketing officer.
She said that 40% of the potable water supplied by the utility commission is used for irrigation. Residents can reduce the strain on the water supply by not watering their lawns, washing cars, or using pressure washers.
Ferrone stated that the situation is unprecedented and drastic. We would consider a boil water alert if things got worse.
The utility uses liquid oxygen to remove any discoloration or rotten egg smells that are naturally present in Florida's water supply since the 1990s.
Officials from one of Orlando's largest health systems stated this week that 1,620 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19. This is twice the number of AdventHealth's peak level.
Dr. Vincent Hsu is the executive director of infection prevention at AdventHealth and an epidemiologist. This crisis is unfortunate.
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