Water Quality @ WDW

[danyoung56]

Some of the best drinking water around due to the Florida karst.

I'm not entirely sure that karst is a word.

 

[LAKid53]

Tampa Bay has desal plants. They are not cheap to run.

Because Tampa has pulled more water out of the nearby aquifers than can be recharged.

 

[DisAl]

From Wikipedia:
Karst
is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as
limestone

,
dolomite

, and
gypsum

. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with
sinkholes

and
caves

 

[LAKid53]

I'm not entirely sure that karst is a word.

Karst is a word. It's a landscape of underground tunnels and sinkholes primarily of limestone and gypsum. Ask any geologist.

 

[copcarguyp71]

I'm honestly curious...I wonder if there is a higher incidence of kidney stones in Florida residents due to the limestone dissolved into the drinking water. As one who has passed one of these little gems I wonder...

 

[LAKid53]

I'm honestly curious...I wonder if there is a higher incidence of kidney stones in Florida residents due to the limestone dissolved into the drinking water. As one who has passed one of these little gems I wonder...

I don't believe many municipal water systems filter for dissolved limestone, based upon the calcium in my tap water - one reason I use filtered water. But you'd have to check the EPA standards for dissolved particulates in potable water. Yes, dissolved limestone is a source of calcium carbonate in drinking water.

 

[Driver]

Um, no. Secondary treated water is used by many municipalities for landscaping. Completely different water supply than potable.

I totally know that I was making a joke

 

[spock8113]

There are a number of reasons why the sulfur smell occurs and a number of ways to minimize it, assuming Disney, Reedy Creek Improvement District or the water supplier feel the need or are required to do that.
Read this link that gives you a brief overview (warning: science ahead):
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/WQ/WQ-11.html

They may not want to spend the money or build the facilities if you just don't like the smell.
But, bad smell can sometimes be an indicator of other problems, most times not.
That's my best, an unequivocal "I don't know."

 

[graphite1326]

I don't know what you mean by bedrock. Florida's karst is primarily limestone. Drinking water wells, especially municipal ones, are drilled hundreds of feet to reach a source of groundwater - aquifer.

Bedrock is the rock surface below the loose soil. I was 60 feet deep before my well hit bedrock. Anything above that would be considered groundwater (water that would filter down through but be above bedrock). It's not usually very pure to drink with all the impurities from the runoff above. Florida's karst would probably be considered bedrock. But to get "fresh" water not groundwater you need to be below bedrock.

 

[pax_65]

I'm not sure why, but I feel like the water quality varies depending where you are in the resort. In general, the water in the water fountains in MK taste terrible - the sulphur taste others have described. I didn't notice it as much in Epcot or Disney Springs.

 

[LAKid53]

Bedrock is the rock surface below the loose soil. I was 60 feet deep before my well hit bedrock. Anything above that would be considered groundwater (water that would filter down through but be above bedrock). It's not usually very pure to drink with all the impurities from the runoff above. Florida's karst would probably be considered bedrock. But to get "fresh" water not groundwater you need to be below bedrock.

Florida's karst is comprised of limestone and gypsum.

Depending upon the part of the state, wells are drilled hundreds of feet into the aquifers for drinking water. Some of the aquifers, especially in my part of the state, are closer to the surface, so wells don't have to be drilled as deep. Given the porous nature of limestone, it acts as a natural filter as water seeps into the ground and recharges the aquifers. And there are regions in the state where recharge occurs faster - they are referred to as "high recharge". Legislation was passed attempting to protect these areas from development, but these lands are in high demand for development.