TAMPA, Fla. — Some parts of the Tampa Bay area are under a boil-water notice due to Hurricane Milton.
A few areas had their water shut off during the storm, and once it goes back on, those residents will have to boil their water before using it.
Here's a county-by-county guide for the notices.
Hillsborough County
- Temple Terrace is under a notice as of 2:45 a.m. Thursday
- The advisory for Seffner and the North Brandon area has been lifted
- County officials said customers who are experiencing low water pressure should take precautionary boil water measures in an abundance of caution
Pinellas County
- St. Petersburg's boil water notice is officially lifted as of 8:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 14
- The Florida Department of Health recommends allowing the water to run for five minutes at each tap to flush the lines with safe water. Remember to include flushing misters, drinking fountains, ice makers (discard the first binful), soda machines, etc.
- The City of Gulfport is still under a precautionary boil water notice
- The boil water notice for the Pinellas County barrier islands was lifted as of 1:15 p.m. Monday, Oct. 14.
- Residents are advised to run the water for five minutes before use
- The notice is lifted from John's Pass to Tierra Verde
- Customers are asked to conserve water to "limit the amount of wastewater entering the sanitary sewer system."
- Some customers may not receive drinking water due to damage to their private service line
Sarasota County
- Venice residents have their water services back on but are under a boil water advisory for at least three days.
- Water has been restored to Sarasota's barrier islands, including Bird Key, St. Armands Key, Lido Key and Siesta Key. A precautionary boil water advisory is in place for the next 72 hours, as of Monday morning.
What to do under boil water notice
Residents in the affected areas are advised to use bottled water or boil tap water before using it for cooking, drinking or personal hygiene.
Residents should follow these steps to disinfect their tap water:
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil for at least one minute to ensure
bacteria, viruses or parasites are gone. - If the water is cloudy, filter it through a clean cloth, paper towel, or
coffee filter before boiling. - Water must be adequately cooled before it can be used for washing or brushing
teeth. Store the boiled water in clean, covered containers.
Officials added if there's no way to boil water, residents can add 1/8 teaspoon of unscented bleach per gallon of water, stir it well and let it stand for at least half an hour before using. They add it's not an ideal solution.