Water Authority kept system intact during island floods
As Gasparilla Island dried out from Hurricane Helene, staff from the Gasparilla Island Water Authority continued to pump through much of the standing water that had leached into the sewer system due to the storm.
“We anticipate normal operations for all utility services to be restored this week,” said Ron Bolton, executive director.
It was a surreal scene just after Helene for GIWA staff as they got to the water treatment plant, which had flood waters around it, but did not flood from operations. The ibis had taken advantage of the receding waters of the retention pond.
“There were dead tilapia all over the golf course,” Bolton said. “The birds were walking down, plucking the eyes out.”
This week, all lift stations are working. Recovery has been a slow process, as they are working to not overflow the plant. The GIWA temporary building on Railroad Avenue just up from the water plant did not flood, and office operations are back to normal. The old substation on Railroad Avenue was sandbagged.
“We actually got some good news,” said Bolton earlier this week. “We were able to push a little more through the plant starting tonight.”
Currently, the water is safe to drink. The utility asked residents earlier this week to try to moderate the usage of the sewer system, as they were still flushing out sewer lines.
“We appreciate their patience as we try and balance good stewardship and customer service,” Bolton said.
The staff has performed well under the stress. Two GIWA staff had houses that flooded and are figuring out new places to live.
GIWA had people on the island through the early evening, when they put the system on generator. The last staff member left in a giant raised 4WD truck.
“We had people on the island ‘til about 7 p.m., when the power started the flicker,” said Bolton. “We had to go and put it to generator.”
“When he went through, the whole street was under water,” Bolton said, what he called, “parting the Red Seas.”
