1950–1969 Beneath the Surface: Drawing Water from a New Source — the Floridan Aquifer To provide a safe and reliable drinking water
be spread out, strategically located within the
supply for its customers, OUC began in 1957 to
service area and interconnected by means of
switch from surface water to well water drawn
transmission pipes.
from the Floridan Aquifer. As demand increased, withdrawals from the
OUC converts from surface to well water.
This new concept would provide OUC customers with an extremely reliable and
lakes dropped water levels to unacceptable
operationally efficient water system.
limits, especially during years when rainfall
Water from the aquifer also offered other
was very low. In addition, the quality of the
advantages: It was high quality compared
raw water pumped from the lakes required
to lake water, requiring less extensive and
extensive coagulation/filtration treatment,
less costly treatment; and it was plentiful,
which was very costly.
eliminating the environmental and aesthetic
This shift to groundwater meant that plants
problems that were caused when lakes
could be located anywhere in the service area,
began to be over-pumped beyond their
because wells could be drilled down to the
sustainable yield.
aquifer at any location. Thus, water plants could
In 1957, OUC presented the City of Orlando with the Lake Eola fountain. Originally the idea of Linton E. Allen, then President of the First National Bank (now SunTrust), the City landmark was first called the “Centennial
america races to the moon Fountain” but was renamed the “Linton E. Allen
Memorial Fountain” after the community leader’s death.
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