GROVELAND, Fla. — The City of Groveland says a lightning strike caused the power surge that knocked a water treatment plant offline Monday night, leaving thousands of residents without water service or with low water pressure.
According to the city, a nearby lightning strike caused a power surge at the Sunshine Water Treatment Plant around 7 p.m. Monday, interrupting operations until about 10 p.m.
City officials estimate about 3,000 homes and businesses were affected. Low-lying areas experienced reduced water pressure, while higher-elevation neighborhoods lost water service completely. The city said those numbers are preliminary and will be confirmed as the investigation continues.
A precautionary boil water advisory was issued at 8:30 p.m. Monday for all customers in the affected service area.
The city expects the advisory to remain in effect through the end of Thursday, pending final water quality testing and confirmation that regulatory standards have been met.
To help residents during the advisory, the city is distributing free cases of bottled water at Cherry Lake Park from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, and from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1.
Residents can also call the city’s Resident Information Line at 352-306-6495 for updates.
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