Orange County

Officials: OUC customers can go back to normal water usage following liquid oxygen shortage

ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and OUC General Manager & Chief Executive Officer Clint Bullock announced Tuesday that OUC customers can go back to normal water usage following a liquid oxygen shortage.

Dyer and Bullock thanked the community for their efforts in limiting water usage over the last month and a half.

READ: OUC asking water customers to start conserving water immediately: Here’s why

“You can go back to normal usage, utilize the irrigation appropriately, you can wash your cars pressure wash your driveways all the essential the essential services that you use water for,” Bullock said.

Over the past few weeks, 90 million gallons a day was reduced to about 76 million, helping avoid a greater emergency.

READ: OUC optimistic as customers continue to cut back on water usage

On Aug. 20, OUC and Dyer urged the community to reduce water usage after rising demands for liquid oxygen. The substance is used to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients, which led to a regional shortage.

OUC uses liquid oxygen in its water purification process, and normal deliveries had been impacted by the increased demand since August.

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Officials said as COVID-19 cases have declined, the supply issued have been rectified.

READ: 9 simple ways to help conserve water

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Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com

Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.