Update: Officials from the City of St. Petersburg said that the sewer treatment plant will be back online at 12 a.m. on Saturday, September 28.
Officials from the City of St. Petersburg are urging residents not to flush their toilets or take showers now that a sewer treatment plant has been taken offline.
Power at the Northeast Sewer Treatment Plant on 62nd Avenue NE has been shut off to protect the plant from "unprecedented storm surge."
Residents and businesses located north of 30th Avenue North and east of I-275/Haines Road are being asked not to drain water, take showers, do laundry or flush toilets. Officials stressed that doing so will cause sewage to back up into homes and businesses.
The following guidelines have been provided for impacted residents:
- DO NOT drain water from sinks or bathtubs.
- DO NOT flush toilets.
- DO NOT use showers, bathtubs, dishwashers, or washing machines.
- DO fill up water bottles in advance and brush your teeth outdoors or over a container.
- Any water that goes down the drain could cause your sewer system to back up, leading to additional complications in your home/business
The call to shut down the plant was made due to high levels of storm surge, which officials said would ensure the safety and sustainability of sewer services post-storm. It will take at least 48 hours to resume operations after inspections and repairs are completed.
Access to drinking water has not been shut off, but it's critical not to drain water out of sinks, tubs or toilets, officials said. Otherwise, sewage may get backed up into homes.
St. Pete Fire Rescue has made contact with all special needs facilities that are impacted.
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