Hurricane Milton Sparks Slew of Boil Water Notices Across Florida

Dozens of boil water advisories are in place as communities in Florida recover from Hurricane Milton.According to the Florida Department of Health, 11 counties have boil advisories in place as of Thursday evening due to Milton’s impact, which tore across the Sunshine State as a Category 3 storm late Wednesday night. Governor Ron DeSantis said Thursday that at least 106 people and 18 animals have been recovered by search and rescue teams working across the state, which is still reeling from the impacts of Hurricane Helene which made landfall just two weeks ago.Many of the boil advisories were sparked due to power outages in Florida, which impacted water services for some customers. According to the site poweroutage.us, nearly 3 million customers were without power across Florida as of 6 p.m. ET Thursday.Under a boil advisory, customers are urged to bring tap water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before using it for cleaning or consumption, including for activities such as showering, preparing food or washing dishes.Below is a list of Florida counties with water boil advisories in place as of 6 p.m. ET Thursday.Counties in Florida with Boil Water Notices in PlaceCitrus CountyDozens of customers lost water service in Citrus County due to power failures in the area. The Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA) said in a notice Thursday morning that 53 customers are without water service along Meadow Drive, while 69 customers a part of the West Citrus water system are experiencing “no or low water pressure.”Once water service is restored, a boil advisory will be in effect until testing is done to confirm there is “no bacteria” in the waterways.”The FGUA sincerely apologizes for the inconvenience if you experience a Precautionary Boil Water Notice Advisory during this outage,” read the notice Thursday.Hillsborough CountyThe city of Temple Terrace, located roughly 10 miles northeast of Tampa, is under a boil water advisory after a power outage led to low water pressure for customers throughout the city.Temple Terrace officials said in an alert on Thursday that “water pressure has been fully restored, allowing you to flush toilets with ease.””However, a water boil order is still in effect for safety. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding,” the city added.Lake CountyThe FGUA has also issued boil advisories for several water systems in Lake County due to a power failure. The advisory will be rescinded once water sample testing proves the water is “safe to drink.”Customers impacted by the boil advisories in Lake County include those in the following water systems: Ravenswood, Stone Mountain Estates, Palms Mobile Home Estates, Morningview Subdivision, Quail Ridge, Venetian Lake and Picciola Island Subdivision.Lee CountyA boil notice is in effect for residents in Ft. Meyers Beach after water was shut off ahead of Milton making landfall. The island said in a notice on its website that “once the water is turned back on, two consecutive days of satisfactory bacteriological water samples must show that the water is safe to drink before the boil water notice is lifted.”Water was also shut off on Sanibel Island due to the hurricane. The Island Water Association said in a notice that as of Thursday, the island is still under a precautionary boil water advisory, and officials “strongly advise against using water for irrigation until further notice.”Manatee CountyWater access was also shut off for the town of Longboat Key, an island that spans between Manatee and Sarasota County. The town is located just north of Siesta Key, where Mitlon made landfall.The DOH said that a boil water advisory will take effect once water service is restored to the island.Okeechobee CountyA precautionary boil advisory is in effect for customers under Okeechobee County’s Utility Authority. The advisory was issued Wednesday morning ahead of Milton reaching Florida and is in effect until further notice.Orange CountyWater service was lost for customers in the town of Tangerine due to Milton as well. The FGUA said that once service is restored, a boil advisory will be in effect until water samples “indicate the water is safe to drink.”Pasco CountyThe FGUA said that residents in Angus Valley also lost water services due to Milton’s impact. A boil advisory will take effect once the service is restored until further notice.Pinellas CountyThe city of St. Petersburg shut off its drinking water citywide due to a water main break sustained during Milton’s impact. Water services will be shut off until the break is repaired, and a boil advisory is in effect for all residents until testing can be conducted to determine when the water is safe for consumption. The main break also interrupted water services to the city of Gulfport, and the island is also under a boil advisory for the time being.Putnam CountySeveral systems were placed under a boil water advisory in Putnam County due to power outages. According to notices from the FGUA, the advisories will remain in place until water sample testing can be completed, which typically can take two to three days.Residents under the boil advisories include those in the following systems: Hermit’s Cove/St John’s Highlands, Welaka and Silver Lake Oaks.Sarasota CountyWater was shut off for the entire city of Venice in Sarasota County ahead of Milton making landfall Wednesday. Customers impacted by the shutoff are under a boil water advisory until testing can be completed to determine that the drinking water is safe.Customers under the Englewood Water District are urged to limit water usage after power outages in the area caused service interruptions. A boil advisory is in effect once water service is restored.