Orange City Utilities manager outlines water operations, urges residents to exercise shutoff valves

Rick Brzezinski, collections and distribution manager for Orange City Utilities, said during a meeting (date not specified) that his team — eight potable-water staff and three wastewater staff — handles daily emergencies, regular work orders and required licensed testing for drinking water and wastewater operations.

Brzezinski said those licenses are issued by the Department of Health and that staff must pass difficult tests to perform water and wastewater work. "The tests are rather difficult. Without our license, we cannot work. It's a must have here," he said.

He described the crew's typical day as starting by checking overnight issues — "putting out the morning fires of the day" — then moving on to scheduled tasks such as work orders, customer requests, meter readings and leak checks. He emphasized that staff must follow rules tied to their licenses and warned that failing to comply could lead to losing the license and the job.

Brzezinski also offered practical advice for residents to reduce emergency service calls and household water damage. He advised homeowners to keep a working shutoff valve at their house and to test it twice a year: "My recommendations and what I do at my house is every time you turn the clocks, you exercise your valves. Twice a year, this would be your whole house valve and all your valves under your sinks, under your commode, and heat your ice maker." He said exercising valves lets residents turn off water at home if a fixture fails in the middle of the night, instead of waiting for utility staff to respond.

He made two additional, personal recommendations for residents: "Change your shoes and socks at lunchtime. It'll make your afternoon go much lighter and airier," and to "keep your credit score perfect," advice he framed as practical guidance rather than a regulatory requirement.

No formal actions or votes were recorded regarding these remarks; the presentation was informational about utility operations and household precautions. The speaker identified the licensing authority only as the Department of Health; no statute, ordinance, or specific departmental rule was cited.

Brzezinski's remarks provide operational context for how Orange City Utilities allocates staff time between emergency response and routine maintenance, and simple household measures residents can take to reduce emergency incidents and potential water damage.