The danger a hurricane poses to water supplies arises when power is lost at these water-pumping stations, according to the HRSOkaloosa County Health Unit. When the power fails, water pressure declines, which could allow untreated water to seep into the lines, said Okaloosa Health Director Dr. Matthew Kinzelman. After Hurricane Opal, health officials tested water from all the affected public systems, and it took about four days to get the results back. Until the systems had been officially declared safe, health officials warned not to drink the untreated water. People with their own household wells should have their wells tested after a prolonged outage or if their well head and pump were flooded.
Health departments can provide information on testing private wells.
The loss of power also plays havoc with sewage systems. Electricity is needed to run pumps and treatment plants. If a sewage system is without power, residents should limit the amount of water they flush and drain. Since last year's onslaught of hurricanes, water and sewer system operators have installed more emergency generators to keep the system working even if a power outage occurs. If, after the storm, you find time to go boating, be wary of sunken and floating junk waiting to snag your boat.