As Hurricane Milton continues to wreak havoc in Hillsborough County, Florida, over 400,000 customers are currently without power. This widespread outage has had a ripple effect on various essential services in the area.
One critical service affected by the power outages is the local water supply. Tampa Bay Water, the regional water supplier, has issued an urgent plea to residents in the Tampa area to conserve water. Due to power outages affecting its facilities, Tampa Bay Water is struggling to maintain the water supply to Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties, as well as the cities of New Port Richey and St. Petersburg.
While critical facilities are being powered by generators, Tampa Bay Water emphasized the importance of residents limiting their water usage to ensure a steady water supply for the affected areas. The water supplier has indicated that power restoration efforts may not commence until the impacts of Hurricane Milton subside.
Additionally, the power outages have disrupted communication channels, with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office reporting that its non-emergency phone line is currently down. Residents are advised to call 911 in case of emergencies while the office works on restoring the non-emergency line.
The community is urged to remain vigilant and cooperate with authorities as they navigate the challenges posed by the ongoing power outages caused by Hurricane Milton.
