Oldsmar outlines local drinking‑water system: wells, reverse osmosis and oversight

The Oldsmar City Council on Tuesday recognized Drinking Water Week and heard a detailed overview of the city’s drinking‑water system from Director of Public Works Daniel Simpson.

Simpson told the council the city operates six well sites with 11 brackish supply wells, including five deep wells that extend roughly 250 feet to the Upper Suwannee aquifer zone and shallow wells that draw from the Tampa limestone aquifer. He said the city also maintains an emergency interconnection to Pinellas County water to protect supply if the local system is disrupted.

Simpson described treatment steps used in the city’s reverse osmosis plant: prefiltration to remove larger particles, reverse osmosis to reduce salts and remove contaminants including PFAS, degasification to remove hydrogen sulfide and disinfection for microbial protection. He said the distribution system includes about 100 miles of water pipe, roughly 650 fire hydrants, more than 5,000 meters read monthly and 332 commercial backflow preventers.

Simpson outlined staff roles and regulatory accountability. He identified the city manager, utility leadership and licensed plant operators as responsible for operations and compliance and said the city answers to federal and state regulators and regional water managers. “We are subject to many DEP inspections,” he said, and the consumer confidence report is posted annually so residents can review water‑quality results.

The presentation also noted state and federal expectations such as lead service‑line reporting, monthly sampling obligations and transparency requirements. Simpson said the city publishes an annual consumer confidence report and that any significant events would be disclosed there.

Council members and staff described the utility’s recent investments and staffing; Simpson thanked operators and maintenance personnel and emphasized the city’s continued capital projects to support local control of water service.