Breaking

Work continues territory-wide as the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority races to power 90 percent of the USVI by Christmas 2017. In the territory to aid the utility, are over 500 linemen from companies around the U.S.

Below, find the latest power and potable water restoration update.

ELECTRIC SYSTEM

On St. Thomas Tuesday, WAPA’s reconstruction and restoration crews energized additional customers in Hospital Ground, Estate Thomas and along the main route on Feeder 7C from the Cassi Hill Intersection to Hometown convenience store. Additional work was done on the primary circuits of Feeders 6A toward the west end and on 7A along the St. Peter Mountain Road. On Wednesday, crews will continue to reconstruct primary circuits in Estate Wintberg toward the Yvonne Bowsky Elementary School. Other crews are also set to energize additional customers in Red Hook from just before Sapphire resort west to the WAPA electrical substation in Nazareth.
On St. John, additional customers in Cruz Bay were energized as well as Grande Bay and the Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Center. Crews continued to reconstruct primary circuits in other portions of Cruz Bay and Fish Bay toward the Westin resort.
On St. Croix Tuesday, customers in areas of Estate Ruby, Bassin Triangle and Peppertree Terrace were restored. Crews planted poles on Feeder 4A, in Estate Strawberry towards Barren Spot, and on Feeders 1A, 2A, and 9B. Secondary poles were planted in Frederiksted town.
Traffic flow will be affected across the territory on Wednesday as restoration work continues on all three islands. On St. Thomas, crews will work in Frenchman’s Bay from Havensight toward Bolongo Bay, Donoe intersection toward Wintberg as well as the bypass road, Tabor and Harmony toward Mandahl, on St. Peter Mountain Road and in Fortuna. On St. John, crews will work in the Fish Bay area and in the vicinity of the Westin and Caneel Bay resorts. On St. Croix, work will continue in Estate Strawberry towards Barren Spot, Estate Ruby and Frederiksted town. Motorists are advised to adhere to the directions of flag persons, 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 reminds its customers that the work being done in the initial phase of the recovery is focused on the rebuilding of primary circuits throughout the feeder paths. Customers whose homes and businesses are along the main circuit routes are being energized when the primary circuits are brought online. However, the bulk of the restoration to residents and businesses will take place in the second phase of restoration.
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. – 5 p.m., seven days per week. St. Thomas – St. John: 340-774-1424 and St. Croix: 340-773-0150.
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 which operate seven days a week, 9 am – 5 pm.

POTABLE WATER SYSTEM

There are six days of emergency water storage on St. John, ten 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 are being made 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 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. – 5 p.m., seven days a week.
St. Thomas – St. John district, 340-774-1424; St. Croix district, 340-773-0150
WAPA telephone contact: St. Thomas – St. John district, 340-774-3552; St. Croix district, 340-773-2250
Customer Service Offices are now operating Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Sunny Isle on St. Croix and at Port of Sale Mall on St. Thomas
WAPA website: www.viwapa.vi