PINELLAS PARK, Fla. – Pinellas Park residents can finally put away the boiling pots and bottled water. Pinellas County Utilities and the City of Pinellas Park have officially lifted the precautionary boil water notice for all residents in the area. Recent water quality testing confirmed that the local water supply fully meets all federal and state drinking water standards.
The precautionary order was originally issued following an extended water outage on Wednesday, June 17. Although utility crews restored water pressure shortly after the interruption, the notice remained in place for two days while lab technicians conducted safety tests to ensure the water was entirely free of contaminants.
Now that the system has been cleared, county and city officials say impacted customers need to follow a few quick steps to flush out their plumbing before returning to normal use. Residents should run cold water through all of their household taps and refrigerator water dispensers for at least five minutes. Additionally, those who have an automatic ice maker should run a full batch of ice cubes and immediately dispose of them. Once these steps are completed, the water is entirely safe for drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene.
PREVIOUS REPORT: Pinellas Park residents are being told to boil their water or stick to the bottled stuff after a major water outage hit the city on Wednesday, June 17. Local officials from Pinellas County Utilities and the City of Pinellas Park issued a precautionary boil water notice following the extended service interruption.
While water pressure has since been restored across the area, the notice stays in place as a safety measure until lab tests prove the supply is completely clean.
If you live in the affected area, county officials say you need to use bottled water or boil your tap water before cooking, drinking, or even brushing your teeth. To make sure it is safe, you should bring a pot of water to a rolling boil for at least one full minute to kill off any potential bacteria, viruses, or parasites.
If the water coming out of your tap looks cloudy, run it through a clean cloth, paper towel, or coffee filter before putting it on the stove. Just make sure to let it cool down adequately before using it, and store the clean water in covered containers.
For folks who cannot boil water and do not have access to bottled water, there is a backup option. You can add an eighth of a teaspoon—about eight drops or half a milliliter—of plain, unscented household bleach to a gallon of water. Stir it well and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before using. Officials noted that while bleaching is less effective than boiling, it will work for those with no other choice.
Local utility crews are currently monitoring the system and running safety checks to clear the notice. “We will continue to test water quality until it has met safe drinking water standards for at least two days,” the utilities release stated. “We will issue an update when it is safe to resume regular water use.”
Until those two consecutive days of clean tests come back, the notice remains strictly a precaution. Residents looking for the latest updates can check the status online at Pinellas.gov/boil-water.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
