Wet season, from late May into the fall
In a typical year the Orlando-area wet season starts around May 27 and runs about 142 days, per the National Weather Service. Orlando, the nearest station with published normals, averages roughly 7 inches of rain a month from June through August.
That water has to go somewhere, and it often ends up around foundations, cleanouts and floor drains. Before June, make sure downspouts discharge several feet from the house, outdoor cleanout caps are on, and the lowest drain in the garage runs freely. A slow drain during a storm is a warning to stop using water and call.
Hurricane Ian and the flooding reported in Lake Mary
Flash flooding began around 3:15 a.m. on September 29, 2022, when Hurricane Ian crossed Seminole County, and news reports counted more than 1,000 flooded homes countywide by morning. Lake Mary was among the communities that reported flooding, though no city-level count was published. The county later estimated about $340 million in damage.
After floodwater has touched a house, shut off the water heater and any gas appliance until they are checked. Have a plumber inspect floor drains and the sewer cleanout for backflow before you resume normal use.
Dry-season sprinklers, backflow valves and the high bill
The St. Johns River Water Management District normally allows watering two days a week under daylight saving time and one day under standard time, and Seminole County sets its own stricter schedule. Check the current county schedule before you set a timer.
A zone stuck on or a head knocked off by a mower can run for weeks unnoticed. The city posts a leak adjustment request form, so ask the utility whether a fixed leak qualifies.
The city also has a backflow prevention page, and the state rule for public water systems calls for residential backflow preventers to be tested at least every two years, so ask the city what applies to your irrigation assembly.
What each season tends to put on the plumbing
A quick guide to what to watch at different times of year.
| Time of year | What it stresses | What we check |
|---|---|---|
| Late May to September | Storm runoff, overloaded drains, sump or cleanout flooding | Cleanout caps, floor drains, downspout discharge |
| October to May | Irrigation zones, stuck valves, outdoor hose bibs | Meter dial after watering, valve boxes, spigots |
| Storm weeks | Power loss that shuts electric heaters, boil advisories, sewer slowdowns | Heater elements after outages, filters, drains |
| Holiday gatherings | Disposers, toilets and drains that get extra load | Clearing lines before the guests arrive |
What to do in Lake Mary before the plumber gets there
Find out whether it is your pipe
If neighbors are also out of water or a street is wet, it may be a main break. On August 15, 2025, a break near South International Parkway and Lake Mary Boulevard affected more than 500 addresses, and that advisory came from Seminole County Utilities.
Stop the water inside
Close the main valve where the line enters the house, or the fixture valve under the sink or behind the toilet.
Hold back the load
During a storm backup, do not flush, run the washer or use the dishwasher. Water you add has nowhere to go.
Make power safe
Switch off breakers to wet areas and to an electric heater that has been splashed. Stay out of standing water.
Our emergency line answers 24/7. If the call is about a commercial space on an overnight shift, say so and the dispatcher plans around it.
Who owns what: city water, county treatment, your pipes
Lake Mary runs its own water system from groundwater wells in the Floridan Aquifer, treated with ultraviolet light and hydrogen peroxide, activated carbon, fluoridation and chlorination. The city maintains over 29 miles of sanitary sewer, from 4 to 18 inches, with 16 pumping stations in neighborhoods such as Primera, Timacuan and Rinehart Road. Wastewater is treated at Seminole County's Greenwood Lakes plant.
The city's pages do not publish water hardness or say who owns the sewer lateral, so ask the city before you dig. Septic tanks are regulated by the Seminole County Health Department at (407) 665-3604.
Heathrow and the 32746 mailing address
Heathrow is a Census-designated place, not part of the City of Lake Mary, and sits in unincorporated Seminole County. Its mail still carries the Lake Mary name and ZIP 32746.
That matters because a city rule may not apply to your address. Ask whether your water and permits come from the city or the county before you plan work. We dispatch to Heathrow the same way we do to the city.
The building boom and the permit desk
The city's own history says it was incorporated on August 7, 1973, after Disney-era growth turned a semi-rural area into a bedroom community, with a second surge in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Homes from that surge are now about 31 to 40 years old, an age when water heaters, valves and supply lines wear out. About 63 percent of homes are owner-occupied, with a median owner value near $494,900.
The city says electrical, plumbing, mechanical or gas work requires a permit, with no exceptions, and invites you to ask first if unsure. Its Building Division can be reached at (407) 585-1361. We found no specific water heater rule, so ask them.
Lake Mary jobs, from townhouse leaks to office buildings
Mystery water bills begin with leak detection on the supply line, and recurring backups with sewer line cleaning. When a tank fails after a storm outage, water heater installation puts a new one in. Offices and shops near Lake Mary Boulevard and I-4 can call about commercial plumbing emergencies after hours.
Neighbors we also cover include Longwood and Winter Springs. Downtown Lake Mary, Central Park at City Hall and the Events Center are all within our dispatch area.
Map of Lake Mary, FL
Lake Mary plumbing questions
Yes. ZIP 32746 is the standard Lake Mary ZIP and runs from downtown and Central Park at City Hall to Rinehart Road and Heathrow. ZIP 32795 is a PO box ZIP. We dispatch to every street address in both.
Yes. Call (407) 964-8940 for an emergency at any hour, on a weeknight, a Sunday or a holiday, and the dispatcher books a licensed plumber out of our Altamonte Springs base. Jobs that can wait may get a same-day slot if one is open.
No. Heathrow is a Census-designated place in unincorporated Seminole County, though its addresses use Lake Mary and ZIP 32746. Confirm whether the city or the county handles your water and permits.
The city says electrical, plumbing, mechanical or gas work requires a permit, with no exceptions. We found nothing on water heaters specifically, so call the Building Division at (407) 585-1361 and ask.
On August 15, 2025, a main break near South International Parkway and Lake Mary Boulevard led to an advisory run by Seminole County Utilities, not the city system. Check which utility serves your address.
Septic tanks are regulated by the Seminole County Health Department at (407) 665-3604, per the city's wastewater page. A licensed septic contractor does the pumping and repair. For a sewer-connected home, call us.
The city's report pages we checked do not give a hardness number. A hardness test strip works at home. If scale shows on the heater element or fixtures, tell us.