Orange County moves toward buying water system that irks Wedgefield residents

The Orange County Commission is going forward with plans to buy the embattled Pluris Wedgefield water utility, but the question remains as to whether the company would ever sell.

Residents of Wedgefield, a community of about 5,300 in eastern Orange, have criticized Pluris for months because of what they say are major issues with water quality and pricing, including claims of over-chlorinated water bleaching their laundry.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Teresa Jacobs and commissioners told county staff to begin the process of buying the utility, including hiring financial and legal consultants, determining a price and reaching out to Pluris Holdings, the Dallas-based company that owns the system.