ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Leaders of the beleaguered Pluris water system, which serves the northern part of Wedgefield in east Orange County, have rejected the county’s offer to buy them out and countered.
▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS
We asked Orange County Utilities for a status update in the purchase of Pluris and they sent this statement:
Orange County Utilities has been working on good faith negotiations with Pluris since October and made an offer of $8 million on November 27, 2024, to purchase the water/wastewater utility serving the Wedgefield community.
On February 4, 2025, Pluris made a counter-offer of $20.5 million.
Our team is looking into all options as part of this complicated, on-going negotiation.
— Orange County Utilities Spokesperson
Pluris’ 60-year-old facility has been plagued by issues including water quality and equipment deterioration. Its customers pay some of the highest water bills in all of Florida and approximately twice what county customers pay.
Read: Sterns’ attorneys bombard judge with asks in week-long filing spree
The county is factoring in what’s now estimated to be more than $50 million in upgrades needed to bring Pluris’ water quality up to the county’s standards, a person familiar with the negotiations said.
“Pluris continues to delay the process and prioritize their financial interests over the health and safety of our families in Wedgefield. This is unacceptable,” Orange County Commissioner Kelly Semrad wrote in response to a request for comment. “Pluris must be held accountable for polluting our environment with a failing sewer system and selling subpar water at three times the price that other tax-paying residents of Orange County pay. It’s time for change.”
Wedgefield residents said they were told the negotiations would be discussed in an upcoming commission meeting.
Read: ‘Fulfilling her dream’: 7-year-old girl dies after junior drag racing accident, family says
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
