Boil water notice issued after blown transformer in Pinellas County — See which areas are impacted

TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. - A boil water notice was issued late Wednesday evening in parts of Pinellas County after officials said water service was restored from a blown transformer. 

What we know:

Pinellas County Utilities issued the boil water notice at 10 p.m. on Wednesday for all customers on Treasure Island, St. Pete Beach and Tierra Verde. 

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It comes after crews said they restored water services from a blown transformer near the Isle of Capri pump station. 

Pinellas Utilities crews said low water pressure due to the outage can allow contaminants to enter the water supply through cracks or joints in the pipes, potentially causing bacterial contamination. The boil water notice is a precaution until water testing can confirm it is safe to use. 

What you can do:

Residents are urged to either use bottled water or boil tap water before using it for cooking, drinking or personal hygiene, including brushing your teeth. Officials said to take the following steps before using tap water to cook, drink or brush your teeth: 

• Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil for at least one minute to ensure bacteria, viruses or parasites are gone.
• If the water is cloudy, filter it through a clean cloth, paper towel, or coffee filter before boiling.
• Water must be adequately cooled before it can be used for washing or brushing teeth.
• Store the boiled water in clean, covered containers.

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If you don't have a way to boil water, impacted residents can add 1/8 teaspoon of unscented, plain bleach per gallon of water, stir well and let it stand for at least 30 minutes before using, according to Pinellas County officials. 

Officials did say, though, that this is less effective than boiling water.  

What's next:

Pinellas County Utilities said they will test water quality until the water returns to safe drinking water standards. They said an update will be issued when it's safe to go back to regular water use.