Orlando declares water shortage linked to rise in Florida COVID-19 cases

A flood of COVID-19 cases in Florida is leading to a water shortage in Orlando, with the city asking residents to cut their usage for at least several weeks to conserve resources for hospitalized patients.

A surge in hospitalized patients in the state is creating "a regional shortage of liquid oxygen," the Orlando Utilities Commission announced Friday. Liquid oxygen is also used to treat water, and its diversion to hospitals is straining the region's water supplies. City officials are asking residents to stop watering their lawns and washing their cars to save water for COVID-19 patients. "We're asking customers to limit watering their lawns immediately. Lawn irrigation is the most impactful change and would significantly reduce water," the OUC said on its website. It's aiming to get daily use down to 50 million gallons, from the typical 90 million, to keep up with reduced liquid-oxygen supplies.