Breaking

The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority said in its latest restoration update that street lights are being installed and energized across the territory, a reassuring announcement to motorists wary of driving at night because of the blinding darkness.

WAPA will soon have over 800 linemen in the territory performing the restoration work, which should continue to bring added sense of normalcy as the utility works towards its goal of 90 percent restoration by Christmas.

Below, the latest update.

ELECTRIC SYSTEM

Reconstruction and restoration work continued across the territory on Tuesday.
- On St. Croix, additional customers were restored in the vicinity of The Buccaneer and in Catherine’s Rest, Humbug, Mary’s Fancy, Whim, Campo Rico, Shoys and William’s Delight where restoration is now 45% complete. Offices of the Departments of Human Services and Education were also reenergized. Additionally, crews carried out reconstruction work, planting poles, stringing lines and preparing circuits in Green Cay, Judith’s Fancy, Clifton Hill, Calquahoun, Queen’s Quarter, Concordia, Sandy Point and at the Container Port. The reinstallation of additional street lights was completed in the Hannah’s Rest area.

- On St. John, more customers were restored in Cruz Bay, Chocolate Hole and Upper Fish Bay as well as in Bordeaux, Glucksburg, Carolina and Hard Labor.

- On St. Thomas, some customers in West Caret Bay, Peterborg, Upper Lindbergh Bay and Old Tutu were restored. Reconstruction crews worked in Brass View, Hawk Hill, near the Sea View Nursing Home, Frenchtown, along the Harwood Highway road leading to Subbase, Mafolie Hill, Skyline Drive, and Smith Bay at the bottom of Cassi Hill.

WAPA, along with its contractors, have begun to install streetlights along major highways and thoroughfares in the territory as those areas are being energized.
On Wednesday, the Valdemar Hill Sr. Drive, “Skyline Drive” on St. Thomas, will be closed to vehicular traffic from 8:30-11:30 a.m., and again from 1-4 p.m., as crews perform reconstruction work and debris removal. The road closure will be in effect from the intersection of Louisenhoj Castle to the Donoe Bypass. Area residents will be allowed to access their homes during the road closure. Alternate routes are available for motorists who must traverse the area. In addition, on Wednesday, traffic flow may be restricted to one-lane at times on Mafolie Hill.
Customers are reminded that homes with temporary roofs (blue roofs) will be restored with electrical service once a licensed electrician has certified, in writing, that the structure is safe to energize.
If work needs to be done to repair a damaged meter base and/or weather head, customers must call the Emergency Call Center at 340-774-1424 on St. Thomas-St. John or 340-773-0150 on St. Croix. The call centers operate seven days a week, 9 am – 5 pm.

If your electric meter was removed by WAPA personnel to facilitate repairs to either a meter base and/or weather head, once repairs are completed and a licensed electrician certifies the work, in writing, customers are required to notify the Customer Service office. All fees usually associated with meter removal and reconnection have been waived during this restoration period. Customer service offices operate Monday-Friday, 9 am – 4 pm at Sunny Isle on St. Croix and Port of Sale Mall on St. Thomas.

Reconstruction, restoration and hurricane debris removal crews are deployed across the islands. Motorists are asked to exercise caution when driving through the work areas and to heed the directions of flaggers and VIPD officers who are assisting with traffic control.

Residents are reminded of the need 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.

POTABLE WATER SYSTEM

There are five days of emergency water storage on St. John, eight days on St. Thomas, and five days on St. Croix. Customers toward the west end of St. Croix will continue to experience low water pressure at times as efforts continue to build capacity in the Kingshill storage tank.
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

WAPA telephone contact: St. Thomas – St. John district, 340-774-3552; St. Croix district, 340-773-2250.

Customer Service Offices operate Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Sunny Isle on St. Croix and at Port of Sale Mall on St. Thomas.

The latest information on the restoration effort is available on the WAPA website, www.viwapa.vi and on Facebook: Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority.