Areas we serve in Lakeland and Polk County

Lakeland sits on 38 named lakes, from Lake Blanton at about 2.5 acres to Lake Parker at about 2,272 acres, according to the city's own figures. The City of Lakeland Building Inspection Division handles permits for work inside city limits. Most of the surrounding service area is unincorporated, so Polk County's building division handles permits there instead. Check which side of the line a property sits on before repair work is planned, because the answer changes the paperwork.

Most homes here are single-storey block and stucco on a concrete slab, with no basement for water to drain into. Water spreads across one floor, and supply lines run under the slab. In older neighborhoods, homes built before the 1980s may contain asbestos materials, so the age of a building matters before any demolition. Reclaimed mine land and old phosphate country appear in parts of the county outside the city. Manufactured homes make up a large share of local housing. Lake and storm flooding can take weeks to recede, and drying speed is what limits mould, since EPA guidance targets drying a wet area within 24 to 48 hours where possible.