HURRICANE RESTORATION UPDATE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On St. Thomas, Thursday, Nov. 2, restoration crews energized additional customers in Lindbergh Bay, Contant and along the Red Hook Road from WAPA’s electrical substation to Sapphire Beach Resort. Additional customers were energized in the Tutu and Anna’s Retreat areas, as well as on the roadway from Cassi Hill intersection toward Tabor and Harmony. Reconstruction crews have completed work on a primary circuit in Contant leading toward Soto Town. Other crews have completed planting poles on a portion of Feeder 10A in Frenchtown; primary lines will be strung beginning next week. Poles have also been planted on the west end of the island up to the Bordeaux Fire Station. Crews are also reconstructing circuits in Wintberg and along the Frenchman’s Bay roadway toward Bolongo.
On Water Island, an estimated 85 percent of the replacement poles have been planted and service restoration is expected by the third week of November.
On St. John, the Westin Resort was energized on Thursday, and customers in Estate Pastory and Grunwald were also restored. Work continues to reconstruct circuits on both Feeders 7E and 9E.
On St. Croix, service was restored to customers along Sion Hill, across from Mary’s Fancy, and in the Watergut housing community. Reconstruction crews continued planting poles and redeveloping circuits in Barren Spot, downtown Christiansted, from the Frederiksted public parking lot to Rainbow Beach, from the Frederiksted Post Office to Marley Homes, along Centerline Road, and in Estates Campo Rico and Whim. Additional poles were planted in the vicinity of Canegata Ball Park and along the roadway toward the federal building in Golden Rock.
Traffic flow will be affected on Friday as restoration work continues. On St. Croix, crews will work along Centerline Road and in downtown Christiansted. Other work areas will have minimal effect on traffic. On St. Thomas, traffic will be slowed along Frenchman’s Bay Road toward Bolongo, on St. Peter Mountain Road and in Red Hook toward Smith Bay.
On St. John, crews will work near the Cruz Bay Fire Station, in Bellevue, on North Shore Road, Centerline Road, near Gallows Point and on Gifft Hill. Motorists are advised to adhere to the directions of flaggers, military police and VIPD officers who are assisting with traffic control. Additionally, motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes and avoid the work areas when possible.
WAPA advises residents that it is necessary to shut off standby generators when line crews are in your neighborhood restoring electrical service. A standby generator has the potential to back feed electricity to the grid which poses a severe safety risk to restoration crews.
All electrical problems must be reported to the WAPA Emergency Call Centers to be properly documented and tracked. These problems include, but are not limited to, electrical service interruptions as well as damaged and downed facilities such as poles, transformers, and power lines. The Emergency Call Centers operate 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days per week. St. Thomas-St. John: 774-1424 and St. Croix: 773-0150.
WAPA personnel has removed electrical meters at locations where damage was apparent to either an electrical meter base and/or weather head. Home and business owners are advised to make repairs to their damaged weather heads and/or meter bases as soon as possible. Once crews have reached your neighborhood, those customers who have not had their weather head or meter base repaired, will not have service immediately restored. Additionally, customers and electricians are reminded that it is against the law to remove or otherwise destroy meter seals. If work needs to be done to repair a damaged meter base and or weather head, contact WAPA’s Emergency Call Centers that operate 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.
POTABLE WATER SYSTEM
There are seven days of emergency water storage on St. John, 10 days on St. Thomas and six days on St. Croix.
The potable water standpipe in Subbase St. Thomas is off line due to technical challenges. Efforts continue to restore service to the standpipe as quickly as possible. On St. John, the potable water standpipe will be on line in a few days.
WAPA reminds the public that a precautionary boil water notice for potable water customers is in place territory-wide. Due to a drop in the water pressure, as a precaution, we advise that all water used for drinking, cooking, making infant formula or juices, making ice, brushing teeth, washing fruits or vegetables and washing dishes, be boiled. Bringing water to a rolling boil and maintaining for one full minute is sufficient. Water must be adequately cooled before it can be used and should be stored in clean, covered containers. As an alternative, bottled water certified for sale by the Department of Health may be used.
WAPA urges clean-up contractors and homeowners in both districts to exercise caution when piling debris on and around potable water meters. There are a growing number of instances where water meters are being damaged by clean-up equipment grading debris and causing damage to the roadside water meters. The continued damage by heavy equipment poses difficulty in maintaining or restoring potable water service to customers.
OTHER INFORMATION
Emergency Call Centers operate 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.
St. Thomas-St. John district, 774-1424; St. Croix district, 773-0150
WAPA telephone contact: St. Thomas-St. John District, 774-3552; St. Croix district, 773-2250
Customer Service Offices operate Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sunny Isle on St. Croix and at Port of Sale Mall on St. Thomas
WAPA website: www.viwapavin / Facebook: Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority
