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Water problem hits hundreds

By Staff | Apr 8, 2015

FGUA logo

Some 300 to 350 customers of Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA) in Lehigh Acres have the use of water today after an order went out last week on March 30 when FGUA issued a precautionary boil notice advisory, effective that day at noon, not to drink the water before boiling.

Donna Lizotte, a community service representative with FGUA in Lehigh Acres, said there had been a 10-inch service main break at McArthur Blvd. and that customers living from McArthur Blvd. to Joel Blvd. and 6th Street to Country Club Blvd. were affected.

“That’s a rare occurrence with FGUA but these things can happen,” she said. “We sent out people immediately to put placards on the front doors knobs of homes of customers affected and asked them to boil their water until the precautionary notice advisory was lifted.

On Monday, the 10-inch service main break required notification to approximately 300 -350 households in the area listed. Some folks experienced low pressure only and some were totally without water until the repair was completed at about 3 p.m., Lizotte said.

She said the service main had been repaired by mid-week and water samples had been taken to a Florida Dept. of Health-certified laboratory. Once samples showed that the water was safe to drink, the boil water notice was lifted.

SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN FGUA boil notices put on citizens’ doors.

Door hanger placards were delivered to the affected customers.

Lizotte said by mid-week that the precautionary boil water notice that had been issued on Monday was no longer in effect and that the water was safe to drink.

“All biological testing samples were negative and therefore the customers affected may resume water usage as normal,” she said.

“The samples were analyzed by a state department of health-certified laboratory that confirmed the drinking water is safe to drink.

She said that when the emergency was noted, FGUA employees quickly went to each house in the area where the water was not to be used for drinking purposes, and placed door hangers explaining the problem.

“On Wednesday, we went back and put placards on the doors saying that the problem had been solved,” Lizotte said.

The utility provides such boil water notice advisories under Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) requirements in the event that water pressure drops below 20 pounds per square inch in the service area. She said that customers were asked to boil their water for at least one minute before drinking. Suggestions were made that customers could also use commercially prepared bottled water for drinking.

Once the FGUA water has been brought to a rolling boil for a period of a minute, the water becomes free of bacteria, viruses, and protozoa, she said.

Water problem hits hundreds

By Staff | Apr 8, 2015

FGUA logo

Some 300 to 350 customers of Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA) in Lehigh Acres have the use of water today after an order went out last week on March 30 when FGUA issued a precautionary boil notice advisory, effective that day at noon, not to drink the water before boiling.

Donna Lizotte, a community service representative with FGUA in Lehigh Acres, said there had been a 10-inch service main break at McArthur Blvd. and that customers living from McArthur Blvd. to Joel Blvd. and 6th Street to Country Club Blvd. were affected.

“That’s a rare occurrence with FGUA but these things can happen,” she said. “We sent out people immediately to put placards on the front doors knobs of homes of customers affected and asked them to boil their water until the precautionary notice advisory was lifted.

On Monday, the 10-inch service main break required notification to approximately 300 -350 households in the area listed. Some folks experienced low pressure only and some were totally without water until the repair was completed at about 3 p.m., Lizotte said.

She said the service main had been repaired by mid-week and water samples had been taken to a Florida Dept. of Health-certified laboratory. Once samples showed that the water was safe to drink, the boil water notice was lifted.

SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN FGUA boil notices put on citizens’ doors.

Door hanger placards were delivered to the affected customers.

Lizotte said by mid-week that the precautionary boil water notice that had been issued on Monday was no longer in effect and that the water was safe to drink.

“All biological testing samples were negative and therefore the customers affected may resume water usage as normal,” she said.

“The samples were analyzed by a state department of health-certified laboratory that confirmed the drinking water is safe to drink.

She said that when the emergency was noted, FGUA employees quickly went to each house in the area where the water was not to be used for drinking purposes, and placed door hangers explaining the problem.

“On Wednesday, we went back and put placards on the doors saying that the problem had been solved,” Lizotte said.

The utility provides such boil water notice advisories under Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) requirements in the event that water pressure drops below 20 pounds per square inch in the service area. She said that customers were asked to boil their water for at least one minute before drinking. Suggestions were made that customers could also use commercially prepared bottled water for drinking.

Once the FGUA water has been brought to a rolling boil for a period of a minute, the water becomes free of bacteria, viruses, and protozoa, she said.