The Greater Pine Island Water business office will close Friday at 11:30 and will re-open next week after the storm as safety allows. The following information is posted on the webpage - pineislandwater.com.

What can you do now:
1. Fill any potable water containers with GPIWA water to have on hand.
2. Fill up pails or drums for non-potable uses such as flushing your toilet.
3. Consider filling up your bath tub.
4. Shut off your water at your customer owned valve prior to evacuating should you leave the island.

Beginning Saturday September 9, we will change how we distribute water by lowering the pressure in the system to approximately 50 -55 pounds. Typical pressure is 70 pounds and lower in further reaches of the system.
Should the hurricane be predicated to make landfall on Pine Island we will shut down the Water Plant two hours in advance of the storm to secure the system.
The most vulnerable part of the system in a hurricane is the distribution system as trees become uprooted in high winds and soil becomes saturated and heavy over the pipe network.

What if I run out of drinking water after the storm?
You can get water at the RO Plant should the water system be off-line for an extended period. The Water Plant, even if not producing water, will be staffed and the gate will be open. What this means is you can drive in at 9550 Stringfellow Road (1/4 mile south of Winn Dixie on the left, gazebo at entrance) and head back to the large above ground 2-million-gallon storage tank. There are spigots set up to allow you to fill your containers any time and at no cost.