by SC Publisher Shannen Hayes
Sanibel continues cleanup this weekend after Hurricane Milton, as electricity is restored and the city restores the sanitary sewer system.
LCEC energized its substations Saturday, Oct. 12, and is working to restore power to the remainder of the island in stages as crews assess any identified line issues. LCEC Executive Vice President and CEO Denis Vidal said work on the substations was not delayed due to any particular parts – something which was previously miscommunicated.
Tricia Dorn with LCEC said 75 percent of Sanibel was without power Saturday morning, and that number was down to around 33 percent by 3 p.m. She added that there will be power fluctuations as they work to restore power.
“Keep in mind that if your power comes on and then goes back off, it could be because there is a piece of equipment that is damaged,” said Dorn. “Until we can energize it and see damage, it could go off again.”
Milton was a “dry storm,” which means it did not bring heavy rainfall during and after the storm. That resulted in electric infrastructure saturated in salt spray from the winds and saltwater from the surge. It was critical to clean prior to re-energizing in order to proactively mitigate the chance of extreme damage to the infrastructure.
City Manager Dana Souza expressed the need for residents to wait until the city gives the “green light” to use the sewer system, even after LCEC restores power to your home. You may use water outside your home to clean items, provided the water does not enter the sewer system.
“Just because power comes back on at your home or business does not mean you can use your facilities – showers, sinks, toilets,” said Souza. If you use them, it will cause the sewer to back up into your home.
The Postal Service resumed mail delivery on Saturday, Oct. 12, and will only deliver to homes with a mailbox and on passable streets. The post office is closed in observance of Columbus Day, Monday, Oct. 14. The lobby will reopen on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Waste Management will return to the island on Monday to resume household trash pickup with the regular collection schedule.
Finally, the city has a curfew in place from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily until further notice.
Leave a Comment