A bedroom community from 1953: what the housing era means for pipes
If sewage or water is coming into a Pine Hills home right now, call our 24/7 emergency line. Stop running water, keep the family out of the affected room, and leave the rest to dispatch.
Orange County's Pine Hills plan says the community began in 1953 with the Robinswood and Pine Ridge Estates subdivisions. It was built as a bedroom community for Martin Marietta workers and was prominent in the 1960s and 1970s. County records show earlier plats too, Pine Hills Sub No. 1 in 1949 and Pine Hills Manor in 1951.
Homes from that stretch have had decades to wear. We found no source dating the pipe materials, so we do not guess. Instead, a camera look at the drain line is the honest way to learn the condition. See our sewer inspection page, and consider repiping if supply lines keep leaking.
Septic tanks, sewer connections and the retrofit on Pine Hills Rd
The county plan says sewer service reached only limited parts of Pine Hills at first, so septic tanks are still present. The Pine Hills Septic Tank Retrofit Project moved parcels along Pine Hills Rd, between Alhambra Dr and Golf Club Pkwy, onto sewer. The county says all benefitting properties connected, and its 2025 report notes that plumbing permits rose with the project.
What that means for you is practical. Know whether your home sits on a septic tank or the Orange County Utilities sewer, because a backup means a different repair in each case. A broken line from the house to the sewer connection may need sewer line repair, while a clog in the house branch can be handled with drain cleaning.
Backup or leak in Pine Hills?
Call the 24/7 line, tell dispatch what is happening, and ask for a clear price before work starts.
Mixed OUC and county water: who answers for what
Pine Hills water comes from two providers. County mapping we sampled showed Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) serving more than half of the points and Orange County Utilities (OCU) the rest. Sewer lies in OCU territory throughout. Your bill says which one is yours.
| Problem | First call | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Water main break or street outage, OCU customer | OCU emergency dispatch, 407-836-2777, 24/7 | Confirm on your bill that OCU supplies your water. |
| Water main break or street outage, OUC customer | The emergency number on your OUC bill | We could not verify an OUC emergency line, so use your bill. |
| Sewer main backing up in the street | OCU emergency dispatch, 407-836-2777 | OCU is the sewer provider across Pine Hills. |
| Leak, clog or backup inside your property | Ocoee Express Plumbing 24/7 line | Pipes on your side of the connection are yours. |
| Permit question | Orange County Division of Building Safety, 407-836-8160 | Pine Hills is unincorporated, so the county issues permits. |
Your mailing address says Orlando, but Pine Hills is an unincorporated Census Designated Place in Orange County.
Subdivisions by plat era
A plat date is when the map was recorded, not when each house went up. Still, it tells you which streets are likely to have the oldest plumbing.
Robinswood and Pine Ridge Estates
The 1953 start of the community. Expect the oldest drain and supply lines here, so a camera inspection is a sensible first step after any repeat clog.
Pine Hills Manor and the 1949 and 1951 plats
Among the earliest recorded maps in the area. If your pipes were never replaced, ask a plumber about the condition before a leak forces the decision.
Silver Star Estates, Hiawassee Hills, Evans Village, Powers Place, Bel-Aire Woods, Lonesome Pines, Country Club Heights, Sylvan Hylands, Silver Pines
These are platted subdivisions inside the community. We have no plat years for them, so do not assume age from the name. Ask what your own house has.
Country Run, platted 1988
A later plat than the 1950s core. Younger piping is possible, but confirm it. A camera look settles the question better than a map date.
Before we arrive: Pine Hills emergencies and safe first steps
Call the 24/7 line first for these. Our emergency dispatch decides with you whether a plumber is needed tonight.
Sewage in the lowest tub or floor drain
Stop every fixture and the washer. On a septic lot, do not keep flushing to see if it clears.
A burst or spraying supply line
Find the shutoff where the water line enters the house and turn it clockwise until the flow stops. Open a faucet to drain the lines.
Water coming through the ceiling
Move furniture, put a bucket under the drip, and stay out of rooms with wet light fixtures. A burst pipe needs fast attention.
Gas odor
Leave the house first. Call 911 or the gas utility from outside, then call us for plumbing work once it is safe.
A single slow drain can often be booked for a same-day appointment when available. You do not need an emergency visit for that.
County permits for Pine Hills plumbing work
The Orange County Division of Building Safety covers plumbing in Pine Hills. Applications go through its Fast Track portal, and help is available at 407-836-8160. A repipe or a sewer connection often needs a permit, so ask before work starts.
The county's page also says that under Florida's 2026 law HB 803, from July 1, 2026 some single-family residential plumbing jobs under $7,500 must be exempt from permits, with other conditions. Whether your job qualifies is the county's call, so confirm with the Division first.
Storms, roads and getting to Pine Hills from Ocoee
Pine Hills borders Ocoee on the east. The drive is about 4 to 8 miles depending on the part of Pine Hills, from roughly 8 minutes to Silver Star Community Park to roughly 13 minutes to the Pine Hills Post Office by our estimate. Those are estimates, not arrival times.
Orange County saw storm-total rain of up to 17.44 inches during Irma in 2017, and flooded streets during Milton in 2024. After a heavy storm, low fixtures and cleanouts show trouble first, and roads such as Colonial Drive and SR 408 can slow any visit. If a backup follows a storm, call the 24/7 line and describe it.
If your address is nearer the west side, our Winter Garden page explains that area, and Apopka lies to the north on its own city utilities.
Pine Hills homeowners ask about ZIPs, septic and permits
Pine Hills is mostly split between two ZIPs, both labeled Orlando by the Postal Service. About 54 percent of the area is 32818 and about 46 percent is 32808. The Hiawassee post office, on N Hiawassee Rd, is in 32818, and the Pine Hills post office on Deauville Dr is in 32808.
If your address carries a different Orlando ZIP, call with the street address and dispatch will confirm.
Yes. The 24/7 emergency line is open nights, weekends and holidays, and dispatch sends a licensed plumber for sewage backups, burst lines and active leaks. Slow drains and small drips can usually be booked as a same-day appointment when available.
Yes, if your home is in the Pine Hills area. The ZIPs say Orlando, but the community is unincorporated Orange County, so county permits and county sewer apply, not the City of Orlando.
Sewer territory across Pine Hills belongs to Orange County Utilities, but septic tanks still exist and the county retrofit project converted parcels on Pine Hills Rd. Check your utility bill or ask the county. A plumber will ask before choosing the repair.
Look at your bill. If Orange County Utilities supplies your water, call its 24/7 emergency dispatch at 407-836-2777. If OUC does, use the emergency number on your OUC bill. If only your house is dry, call us.
Many jobs do. The Orange County Division of Building Safety issues them, and its help line is 407-836-8160. Ask before work starts, since the county says some small residential jobs may now be exempt.
Pine Hills on the map: from Silver Star Rd to Pine Hills Rd
The map shows the community's main corridors, Pine Hills Rd and Silver Star Rd, with Rolling Hills Park and Silver Star Community Park as landmarks.
County planning boundaries run from Apopka-Vineland Rd on the west to Pine Hills Rd on the east, with SR 431 to the north and SR 408 to the south.