WAPA Restoration Crews Ended Work At Noon Friday To View Body Of Fellow Lineman Jason Julius; Latest Updates Announced

WAPA restoration crews ended work at 12 noon on Friday to allow personnel to attend the viewing of our co-worker Jason Julius who died in the line of duty on September 12, WAPA announced in its latest power and potable water restoration update on Friday. Funeral services for Jason Julius are scheduled for today. Restoration work by WAPA crews will resume on Monday.

ELECTRIC SYSTEM

• WAPA is reminding residents that it is illegal to remove the meter seal or to tamper with or remove an electrical meter from a meter base. It is understandable that in the aftermath of the hurricanes, customers want to get their weather head and or meter bases repaired, however, electrical meters and meter seals can only be removed by WAPA personnel. Tampering with either the meter or the meter seal is a punishable offense. If damage is apparent to a customer’s service meter, WAPA will remove the meter to allow for repairs. In fact, some meters have already been removed from locations where damage was noted.
• Emergency call centers on St. Thomas & St. Croix are operating daily on a 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. schedule. To contact the Emergency Call Center on St. Croix, call 340-773-0150, and on St. Thomas – St. John the call center’s telephone number is 340-774-1424.
• In addition to crews from Haugland Energy, off-island crews from BBC Electric Services Inc. of Missouri, along with Northeast Public Power Association are expected in the territory by mid-October to assist with WAPA’s restoration efforts in both districts. The companies are providing additional manpower, equipment and supply inventory to augment WAPA’s restoration. Crews from the three off-island contractors will be equally divided in both districts.
• WAPA continues to work jointly with Viya, the Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority, and the Department of Public Works on a clean-up initiative across the territory. The Authority is also working alongside the Virgin Islands Next Generation Network, viNGN.

POTABLE WATER SYSTEM

• The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority has issued a Boil Water Advisory for the Estate White Lady and the Frederiksted town areas of St. Croix, after lab tests of water samples on October 4, 2017 confirmed the presence of E. Coli bacteria. WAPA advises residents of the affected areas to bring tap water to a rolling boil, boil for one minute, and cool before using. Residents may also use bottled water certified for sale by the V.I. Department of Health. In the affected areas, boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth, and preparing food until further notice.
• Water crews on St. Thomas made additional repairs to a 24-inch water main along the waterfront bulkhead. By late afternoon Friday, crews were beginning to recharge the line in order to restore potable water service to the downtown area.  Water service to the east end communities has been restored.
• Clean up contractors and homeowners are urged to exercise caution when working in and around potable water meters. There are a growing number of instances on St. Croix where water meters are being damaged by clean-up crews causing additional challenges in maintaining or restoring service to customers.