Important Notice To Pluris Wedgefield Customers

Late on the evening of August 21, 2026, a severe lightning strike caused damage to the water treatment facility, to include computers, SCADA, PLC’s, and communication equipment resulting in low water pressure for customers for approximately three hours. The SCADA system is purposely designed and programmed for an extreme event such as this to enter a fail-safe mode. The fail-safe mode ensures continuing operation of critical systems such as pumps and disinfection equipment. At no time did the system pressure drop below the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (“FDEP”) requirement of 20 psi. Our field crew immediately implemented emergency procedures and worked diligently to restore water pressure to affected customers as quickly as possible.

In addition, a 4-inch water main break occurred on Majestic Street, resulting in a temporary loss of water service to the 36 connections located along the street. Once the repair was completed, a precautionary Boil Water Advisory was issued, and affected addresses received the precautionary boil water notices by door tags. Our field crew followed established emergency procedures to restore water service and ensure that the appropriate precautionary boil water notices were provided to all affected customers.

Field operations staff were immediately deployed to the water treatment facility and the water main line break. The FDEP was noticed and updated through the events. Field operation staff assessed the lightning strike damages at the water treatment plant as well as repairing the watermain line, which was concluded at approximately 2 AM ET. Per FDEP requirements, bacterial water samples for laboratory testing were obtained and pending results expected later today (Tuesday August 25th) the precautionary boil water notice to the 36 residents should be cleared for the residents. The notice remains in effect until the laboratory provides the results and Pluris notifies the affected residents.

Our Customer Care number, 888-758-7471, is answered after hours by a service that was actively receiving calls throughout the low-pressure event. Due to the high volume of calls received, customers may have experienced a wait time. However, all calls were answered and promptly dispatched to our field crew, and customers were provided with available information regarding the emergency.

Please note that correspondence sent to our Customer Care email address, [email protected], is monitored during regular business hours and will be addressed by our representatives on the next business day.

We appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding as our field crews worked diligently to address these incidents and restore water service as quickly and safely as possible.

Pluris South Gate, LLC’s Auto-Flusher Installation

May 2021

Pluris South Gate (“Pluris”) recently completed the installation of auto-flushers to assist in maintaining compliance in the disinfection residual throughout the entire drinking water distribution system. Pluris’s system is defined as a consecutive water system, meaning the utility receives its total amount of potable drinking water delivered to customers from Sarasota County Utilities. Pluris has always maintained a good working relationship with Sarasota County Utilities in maintaining compliance. Pluris recently met with Sarasota County Utilities to ensure ongoing compliance, resulting in Sarasota County Utilities agreeing with the need for auto-flushers. Sarasota County Utilities currently uses Chloramines as the primary disinfect. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’ rule of a maximum 4.0 mg/L disinfectant residual along with the length of the Pluris distribution system presented a challenge in providing a necessary disinfectant residual to customers on the farthest end of the distribution system.

Pluris recognized the need of providing a continuous flushing program to assure compliant disinfectant residuals reached the furthest parts of its distribution system, and Sarasota County Utilities’ Department agreed. To ensure on-going compliance, Pluris retained an outside professional engineering firm to do an in-depth study of the water distribution system to determine all geographical areas of concern. The in-depth study included a hydraulic modeling of the distribution system and the model defined areas that demonstrated the potential for low flow for consideration of auto-flushers.

Presented below is an illustration of an auto flusher within a meter box. The top of the meter box is at ground level so as to not disturb the surrounding area and making for a clean installation.

The meters are manufactured by Mueller Water Companies, one of the largest and most reputable water treatment companies in the United States. Each auto flusher can be wirelessly accessed to communicate accurate usage/flow data continually, reducing the potential for over flushing and wasting water.

The auto-flushers demonstrate Pluris’ proactive ongoing commitment to provide safe potable drinking water to our customers service through effective innovative systems.

Please feel free to contact Pluris Regional Manager Joe Kuhns directly to discuss any questions you may have. Joe will be happy to meet with customers at your residence and at your convenience. To contact Joe send him an email at [email protected] or by telephone at 813.526.0608.

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