Sarasota residents complained the county’s tap water tasted like ‘pool water.’ Was it safe to drink?

Though Sarasota residents might have been wary of drinking the funky-tasting tap water these past couple of weeks, it was perfectly safe to drink.

The explanation behind the taste is free chlorine, which Sarasota County added on April 22 and stopped on May 6. Under Florida Administrative Code Rule 62-550.817, the Department of Environmental Protection recommends using free chlorine to disinfect drinking water from viruses and other harmful pathogens. 

The DEP regulates the maximum amount of free chlorine in drinking water to 4.0 mg/L. Free chlorine is typically used to maintain water quality once a year, but Sarasota skipped it in 2024. Prior to this year, the last time Sarasota conducted this process was in April 2023.

When free chlorine is used, the water might also be discolored or smell different. While officials advise letting your faucet run until the water is clear, there’s no need to boil the water. 

CORRECTION: The story’s headline was updated to reflect it was the county’s water system that was impacted.