ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As the Tampa Bay area puts together last-minute preparations ahead of Hurricane Milton, some counties are shutting off water and wastewater services.
The goal is to protect the community's infrastructure from damage from flooding. Residents won't be able to flush toilets or access water for cooking, cleaning, bathing or drinking.
Here's a running list of areas that will be impacted. This list will be updated as new information is released.
Hillsborough County
The City of Tampa is trying to dispel rumors that the water will be shut off. In an X post, officials said the Tampa Water Department has been preparing to "deliver safe, high-quality water throughout the storm."
"There are also several contingency plans in place that will allow the water treatment plant to continue operating through the storm. Customers are still urged to stock up on water in case the storm damage disrupts service to their home or neighborhood," officials wrote in the post.
Manatee County
Officials announced they are shutting off potable water service and sanitary sewer service to multiple island cities starting Tuesday.
The cities include Anna Maria Island, Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach and the Town of Longboat Key starting at 10 a.m., according to a news release.
They warn that the water will be completely shut off and there will not be residual pressure or flow that some residents may have experienced during Hurricane Helene.
Pinellas County
Starting at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8, the city of St. Pete Beach will begin deactivating all waterlines. By noon, waterlines will be completely offline until further notice.
St. Petersburg officials are also weighing on the decision to shut off services to certain parts of the county. At a news conference, officials said they may have to shut off the Northeast and Southwest facilities.
During Hurricane Helene, officials shut down the Northeast Sewer Treatment Facility to take precautions from the storm surge.
Sarasota County
Sarasota County Public Utilities will start shutting off potable water services and wastewater lift stations at 10 a.m. Tuesday for Siesta Key and Casey Key.
Once conditions are safe, emergency services said utilities teams will deploy to the barrier islands once it's safe and restore water to Siesta Key and Casey Key.
The City of Venice will have its water service shut off on Tuesday night until the storm passes and repairs are made. Wastewater services and power will also likely be shut off during this time.