As we approach National Hurricane Preparedness Week (April 30 – May 6, 2023), following are some tips on how to plan for a water emergency such as we have had recently and as preparation for the upcoming Hurricane season.
First and foremost, we highly recommend signing up for Code Red alerts through FKAA.com. Code Red is a wonderful resource for both property owners and property managers. You will receive communications directly from FKAA informing you of any loss of water pressure or any boil water alerts and advisories.
Click the link to enroll: Community Notification Enrollment (coderedweb.com)
Second, have an emergency water supply stored. Both FEMA and the CDC recommend at least a 3-day supply. Plan for a minimum of one gallon per person per day, more in hot conditions. And please, don’t forget your pets! It’s very easy to pick up an extra case of water during your regular grocery shopping trip. This will come in handy for situations when the water supply has been interrupted or during a boil water advisory.
During a boil water alert, please keep in mind that most home dishwashers don’t heat the water to an adequate temperature to kill harmful bacteria. Unless you have a sanitize cycle on your dishwasher, you will need to disinfect your dishes with an unscented bleach-water solution. Remember, during a boil water advisory, turn off any automatic ice maker until the advisory is lifted and consult the CDC link for recommendations for disinfecting your ice maker. More information can be found at the links below.
https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/emergency/index.html
https://www.fema.gov/pdf/library/f&web.pdf
In case of water outages, remember to turn off the breaker to your hot water heater. If you inadvertently drain your hot water heater, the heating element will be exposed and continue to heat. This could possibly ruin the heating element or worse, cause a fire. In addition, everyone should know where the main water shut-off for your property is located. In the event of a storm, you may need to turn off the main water supply for your home.
For more information about the FKAA long-term infrastructure upgrade, please refer to the following letter from the CEO of the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority.
https://www.fkaa.com/DocumentCenter/View/766/3-23-2023-Message-from-Executive-Director
As always, more information can be found at Plan Ahead for Disasters | Ready.gov.
Subsequent posts will detail additional resources available to residents to assist in their Pre-Hurricane Season planning. Taking a few small steps now can provide much peace of mind.
Mayor Patti Trefry