Drinking water has been restored in the Florida city of St. Petersburg but residents are still urged to boil any potable before drinking, cooking, or brushing teeth, as crews continue to complete repairs following Hurricane Milton.
City officials announced Wednesday that they would shut down the city’s water supply at midnight following a water main break.
“To address the issue and prevent further complications, the City is shutting off potable (drinking) water service citywide,” they said.
The city also issued a boil water notice, which is expected to be lifted by Monday, Oct. 14, according to a recent post on X. Residents are recommended to boil water for at least one minute before safe use. The cities of Gulfport and South Pasadena are under the same notice.
Hurricane Milton’s winds and flash flooding toppled electricity poles, trees, and even a crane, which struck the side of a building at 400 Central Avenue in St. Petersburg on Wednesday.
As of Thursday, crews began clearing roads of fallen trees and downed power lines, and residents were urged not to travel.
“Teams are actively working to clear roads and make travel safe. Please help us by staying off the roads – we’ll let you know when it’s safe,” city officials said Thursday.
According to updates posted on the city’s website, the city received approximately 18 inches of rain, and 395,000 residents are without power in Pinellas County. Sustained winds were recorded at 83 miles per hour and the highest gust recorded was 101 mph, according to measurements from the Albert Whitted Airport tower.
The city’s Northeast and Southwest sewer treatment plants were also shut down Wednesday to avoid damage from the storm surge but were back online as of Thursday, according to the city.
According to officials with Pinellas County Schools, nearly 80 schools are without power and district operations staff have begun to assess the damage and make repairs. No decision has been made regarding reopening schools, they said in a Friday post on X.
St. Petersburg police said there are at least 74 traffic signals in the city, and residents should treat intersections as four-way stops.
Open food stores and gas stations can be found at publix.com, wawa.com, or tracker.gasbuddy.com, city officials shared on X.
They said Spectrum has also set up WiFi Access points for residents throughout the city, which can be found on Spectrum’s website.
In a post on X, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority said its bus fleet was relocated to higher ground to avoid flood damage but is now en route back to the city. They said bus service should be restored by Saturday.