Preparing for Hurricane Season Means Considering Water Utilities, Too

Perhaps Benjamin Franklin said it best: "By failing to prepare, you're preparing to fail." As we approach the beginning of the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season (June 1 - November 30), the Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA) urges all Floridian's to heed these words of wisdom.

Courtesy FGUA

Hurricanes are the biggest serious threat to Flori8da residents each year, with unpredictable results. Preparing in advance can help limit damage and impacts to keep your family and property safe.

May 5 – 11 is National Hurricane Preparedness Week, an opportunity to focus our collective efforts on the potentially lifesaving benefits of planning and preparation. The threat this year is greater than ever, with Colorado State University (CSU) predicting an extremely active season with 23 named storms, including 11 that will become hurricanes and five reaching major Hurricane strength (Category 3 or higher).

FGUA prepares year-round to minimize the impact of storms on its customers, with a priority focus on preventing service disruptions by investing in upgraded systems, working with electric utilities to expedite the restoration of power, and sharing timely information through its website and the news media.

Begin early preparations now: These things take more time

Before the season begins, take care of things that require a bit more time, but which will have you prepared and ready to respond when the warnings come. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) offers these top tips which are covered in greater detail at noaa.gov/hurricane-prep:

Strengthen your home if possible

Get an insurance checkup and document your possessions

Develop an evacuation plan

Create a communication plan with a hand-written/printed list of contacts

Assemble disaster supplies (see below)

When the watches and warnings come: Have your go-bag ready

Having a comprehensive disaster supply kit assembled and ready is critical. The State of Florida offers a detailed, printable checklist which can be found at floridadisaster.org. This list covers items in several categories including general, phone numbers, clothing, special needs, first aid, food and water, important documents, vehicle readiness and pet care.

Water, water everywhere: Is it safe to drink?

Even with the best preparation, equipment and systems, Mother Nature is a powerful competitor. Heavy rainfall, widespread flooding, water main breaks from uprooted trees and loss of power to pumping stations may result in loss of water pressure and contaminated water which can cause illness. In these situations, FGUA may issue precautionary boil water notices. For drinking or cooking with water during these limited periods, a rolling boil for a period of at least one minute is sufficient. Alternatively, bottled water may be used. All current outages and notices are posted on the FGUA website at fgua.com.

The Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA) owns and operates more than 98 water and wastewater utility systems in 14 Florida counties, providing service to more than 120,000 customer connections. Counties served by FGUA include Citrus, Hillsborough, Lake, Marion, Orange, Pasco, Polk, Seminole, Hardee, Lee, Alachua, Flagler, Putnam and Volusia.