AFTER THE HURRICANE PRECAUTIONARY BOIL WATER NOTICES FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Whenever the GPIWA water system loses pressure due to a line break in your neighborhood, as a matter of practice we issue a precautionary boil water notice either by a door hanger on your front door or thru the news media. Many of our customers have experienced these procedures during the past few years.

Since we are now in hurricane season GPIWA wants to advise our customers of the procedures to follow should a partial or system wide failure happen due to storm damage, power outage, or other unforeseen crisis. If GPIWA sustains storm damage causing loss of water pressure at your house, please follow the instructions below since we may not be able to communicate the precautionary boil water notice to you. If possible, we will set up potable water taps at the R.O. Plant on Stringfellow Road for customers to fill containers with drinking water. Please bring you own containers.

While under a precautionary boil water notice water used for consumption should be disinfected by anyone of the following methods:

·         Bringing the water to a rolling boil for at least one (1) minute.

·         Use a disinfecting chemical. If you cannot boil water, you should put eight (8) drops of common household bleach (about 1/8th teaspoon) into one (1) gallon of tap water, shake it, and allow it to stand for 30 minutes before drinking. If the water is cloudy, use sixteen (16) drops, (about 1/4 teaspoon) of bleach instead of 8, shake it, and let it stand for 30 minutes. There should be a slight chlorine odor. Use common household bleach that has 5 to 6% active ingredients. Use food grade containers. Don't use bleach that has perfume scents added.

·         Follow directions for water purification tablets or iodine that many sports and camping stores sell.

·         You may also purchase commercial bottled water for consumption and food preparation.

Consumption includes brushing teeth, washing fruits and vegetables, and homemade ice. Tap water may be used for showering, baths, shaving and washing, so long as care is taken not to swallow or allow water in eyes or nose or mouth. Children and disabled individuals should have their bath supervised to ensure water is not ingested. The time spent bathing should be minimized. Though the risk of illness is minimal, individuals who have recent surgical wounds, are immunosuppressed, or have a chronic illness may want to consider using bottled or boiled water for cleansing until the notice is lifted.

Businesses and non-residential sites should take steps such as posting notices at, or disabling water fountains and ice machines. If you provide water to visitors or employees, use a commercially produced bottled water for drinking or beverage preparation (coffee). Food service operations have additional requirements from their regulatory agency.

After the water system is repaired, and the pressure is restored in the pipes to your home or business, the precautionary boil water notice will remain in effect for several days while bacteria tests are conducted to assure the safety of the water. The notice will be lifted (rescinded) only after tests prove the water is safe to drink. The precautionary boil water notice may be lifted in different sections of the GPIWA service area as areas are cleared and the water deemed safe to drink. The media will be provided information updates and you should listen for this important information on our local radio and/or television stations.

The employees of the Greater Pine Island Water Association Inc. take great care in assuring that your water is safe to drink, and we appreciate your cooperation with the precautionary boil water notice to protect public health when these notices are issued. Please call us at the business office (239-283-1071) if you have questions or concerns.