Neighbors in one east Orange County neighborhood worry their water company is conducting a live pilot study in their backyard — using potentially hazardous chemicals.

"If they lose control of the reaction, if the machine breaks down, if they have an accidental release or if a fire occurs in the plant," said resident Adam Nehr, "a lot of really bad things can happen really fast, including explosions, a toxic waste release."

Nehr, who built his home 16 years ago in Wedgefield, lives a little more than 500 feet from the Pluris water treatment plant. It appears just above his backyard hedges, visible through his living room windows.

He also spent his career working at NASA and researching chemicals.

"I'm completely and totally opposed to this being done in my backyard," he said. "It's going to keep me awake at night to know that I have a bomb 530 feet away from my window."

Pluris is the private utility company that provides water to more than 1,700 homes. Other homes in the neighborhood rely upon well water.

In June 2016, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection fined Pluris more than $1,200 for low chlorine residual levels. The company was forced to come up with a corrective action plan.

In August, Pluris-Wedgefield hoped for a solution: They applied to the DEP for a "full-scale demonstration testing study," using chlorine dioxide in order to lower elevated disinfection by-products, Total Trihalomethanes or TTHMs.

The DEP responded in September, requiring further assurances and information from the company. In late November, Pluris submitted a second proposal, which the DEP approved, with conditions.

The study, which is expected to last for the next three months, begins Thursday.

Dave Herbster, a spokesman for the DEP, issued this statement to News 13:

"DEP takes the health and safety of Floridians very seriously and reviewed the safety protocols to ensure that this pilot program will not pose a threat to nearby residents and water customers. The proposed chlorine dioxide product is approved by EPA for safe use in potable water systems."

The DEP asserts that the process of using chlorine dioxide has been used for decades — since the 1940s — and despite elevated TTHMs, the water supply in Wedgefield meets federal standards and is safe to drink.

Some neighbors are not sold, however, on the testing.

"While I agree with what they're trying to do by eliminating the TTHMs, I am vehemently opposed to the method that they're using because of the dangers," Nehr said. "I would be all in support of this if the water plant were properly cited a mile or two from the homes."

Jan Verwater, with TwinOxide, said that because the Netherlands-based water disinfection concept is 99.97 percent water, there is no danger of any fire, explosion or any other potential health hazard.

"There is (no) need for professional operators to handle the product before it is dosed into water for disinfection," Verwater said in an email statement.

News 13 reached out to Pluris-Wedgefield regional manager Joe Kuhns, who declined our request for an interview but offered a future tour of the facility once testing is fully underway.

In tandem, homeowners have collected several hundred signatures of those in favor of working with Orange County to buy the utility, according to neighbor Pam DiMarzio. The topic will be discussed at the Jan. 24 Orange County Commission meeting.

However, Pluris is a private utility and, in the past, told former Orange County Commissioner Ted Edwards that they are not for sale.