Pensacola-Area Water Customers Told to Boil Water as DeSantis Targets 95% of FPL Isaias Outages by Monday Night

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Until ECUA confirms the water is safe, customers should bring tap water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before drinking it or using it to cook, make ice, brush teeth, wash dishes or prepare food.

Power is also returning. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Sunday that 95% of Florida Power & Light outages should be restored by Monday night, though more than 170,000 Florida customers were still without electricity Sunday night, according to CBS News.

Together, those developments change the household checklist this week. The concern now extends beyond generators in garages to tap water used for baby formula, food left in warming refrigerators, and the hours after power returns, when families rush to restart appliances and clean up.

The notice covers all ECUA water customers and was issued as a precaution to protect public health, the utility said. “Customers should assume their water may be affected,” ECUA said in the post cited by FOX10. Commercially bottled water is an acceptable substitute, and the utility said it will notify customers when the notice is lifted.

Storm damage often breaks water mains and drops system pressure, which is why utilities issue these notices before testing confirms the water is safe. In a previous precautionary boil water notice, the utility said water-quality testing routinely takes about 48 hours. ECUA has not given a timeline for lifting the current notice.

Families with infants should mix formula with bottled water or water that has been boiled and cooled. Older adults and people with weakened immune systems should be especially careful, as they are at higher risk of serious illness from contaminated water. Households unsure whether they are ECUA customers can check a recent water bill or call the utility’s customer service line.

MedicalDaily previously reported that more than 390,000 Alabama and Florida customers were without power Sunday morning as officials warned about generator carbon monoxide. Since then, Florida outages have fallen from about 315,000 Sunday morning to more than 170,000 by Sunday night, based on PowerOutage.us figures cited by CBS.

The confirmed death toll has not changed. At least four people have died, two in Alabama and two in Florida, CBS reported. Two died when trees fell on homes, one in the Huffman area of Birmingham and one in Escambia County, and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s office confirmed a death in Barbour County without releasing details.

In Escambia County, deputies found a man dead inside a closed garage with a generator running, and four relatives were hospitalized with conditions not considered life-threatening. An official cause of death has not been publicly released.

The final days of an outage can be the riskiest. The Consumer Product Safety Commission warns that carbon monoxide can kill within minutes, often before victims notice symptoms. Until power returns, generators belong outdoors at least 20 feet from the home, with exhaust pointed away from windows, doors, and vents. They should never run in a garage, basement or shed, even with doors open.

Once electricity is back, the CPSC advises against touching wet appliances that are still plugged in. Anything that sat in floodwater should be checked by a qualified professional or utility representative, and gas control valves, wiring, breakers, and fuses that were underwater should be replaced. Anyone who smells or hears leaking gas should leave right away and call the gas company from outside.

Food safety also matters as refrigerators restart. Under federal food safety guidance for power outages, perishable refrigerated food such as meat, milk, and leftovers should be thrown out after four hours without power. When in doubt, throw it out, and never taste food to decide.

The people at greatest risk this week include infants, older adults, people who rely on electric medical equipment, and anyone with heart or lung disease. President Trump approved federal emergency declarations for Florida, Alabama, and Georgia, which free up federal support for state and local response. Residents with storm-related losses can ask county emergency management offices what assistance is available.

Several questions remain open. ECUA has not said when testing will finish, the restoration estimate applies to FPL customers rather than every Florida utility, and the Escambia County death has no publicly released official cause. MedicalDaily will update this report when ECUA lifts the notice or officials release new findings.

Oct. 11, late evening: DeSantis said 95% of FPL outages should be restored by Monday night, with more than 170,000 Florida customers still without power (CBS News).

Oct. 11, afternoon: ECUA continued its systemwide precautionary boil water notice for all water customers (FOX10 News, citing ECUA).

Oct. 11, morning: MedicalDaily reported more than 390,000 outages in Florida and Alabama and warnings about generator carbon monoxide.

Oct. 10: Officials confirmed four storm-related deaths, including a man found in a closed Escambia County garage with a generator running (CBS News).

Oct. 9, about 8 p.m. ET: Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, as a Category 2 hurricane (National Hurricane Center, via CBS News).

All Emerald Coast Utilities Authority water customers in the Pensacola area are under a systemwide precautionary boil water notice issued after Hurricane Isaias.

How do I make tap water safe during the notice?

Bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute and let it cool before drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, or preparing food. Bottled water is also acceptable.

When will the boil water notice be lifted?

ECUA has not given a date. The utility said it will notify customers once it confirms the water is safe.

DeSantis said 95% of Florida Power & Light outages should be restored by Monday night. More than 170,000 Florida customers were still without power Sunday night.

At least four deaths have been confirmed, two in Alabama and two in Florida, according to CBS News.

Is it safe to run a generator in the garage with the door open?

No. The CPSC says generators should never be used in garages, basements, or sheds, even with doors or windows open. Keep them outside at least 20 feet from the home.

Should I keep food that was in the refrigerator during the outage?

Perishable refrigerated food should be thrown out after four hours without power. When in doubt, throw it out.