Boil water notice for part of Panama City Beach

PANAMA CITY BEACH — After a break in a local water pipe Monday, a temporary boil-water notice was issued for residents of Carillon Beach and Pinnacle Port Condominiums.

According to Debbie Ward, spokeswoman for Panama City Beach, repairs to the pipe were nearing completion Monday evening.

Ward added that the break was caused by a contractor with a cable communications provider. She expected for the boil-water notice to remain in effect through Tuesday.

“You have to have two all clear notices come back before you can rescind a boil-water notice,” Ward wrote in an email.

In a press release, the city advised that residents in the two areas should boil any water used for “drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth or washing dishes.”

Once repairs to the line are complete and a bacteriological survey shows the water is safe to drink, the boil-water notice will be lifted. Notices will then be hung on residents doors and the city will announce on its Facebook page that the water is once again safe.

According to Al Shortt, utilities director for Panama City Beach, the break was avoidable. He added that PCB has about 800 miles of buried utility pipes.

“The contractor did not have current locations called in, which would have allowed us to go out and mark the lines to avoid this situation,” Shortt wrote in an email. “Fortunately, it does not happen often, but it does happen as part of continuous development.”

Residents with any additional questions can contact the city’s utilities department at 233-5100.