Friday, Feb. 27, 2026
Is there something off with the water in Sarasota County?
No treatments or cleanings are being done to Sarasota County’s water distribution system as of late February.
In April, the county conducted a two-week free chlorine conversion on its water system. This is done to disinfect water with chlorine to clean the distribution system, as recommended by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Water is safe to drink during this process, but it may have a funky taste or smell.
Sarasota County Public Utilities said another free chlorine conversion is scheduled for later this spring, but confirmed that they are not conducting any other treatments on its system at the moment. If there’s a concern with water quality –– such as causing a burning sensation in one’s eyes or having a bleachy taste and smell, as reported by some residents online –– they can contact Public Utilities to report the problem.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Sarasota County Public Utilities Staff Email
- Sarasota County Free Chlorine FAQ
About fact briefs
Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by newsrooms in the Gigafact network.
See all fact briefsLatest Fact Briefs
Did New College of Florida’s enrollment grow under conservative leadership?
Friday, Mar. 20, 2026
Does Florida have the top state university system in the country?
Friday, Mar. 13, 2026