Panama City Beach Utilities Director discusses water outage and boil water notice

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) — As of 9:40 a.m. Panama City Beach officials say water has been restored to most residents and remind the public that a precautionary boil-water notice remains in effect.

Officials say it will remain in effect until test results show the water is drinkable. Officials estimate the rescission notice will go out midday Thursday.

NewsChannel 7 spoke with Panama City Beach Utilities Director Mark Schaeffer about the ongoing water outage and boil water notice.

Schaeffer says water has been restored on the North End of Highway 79, Memorial Circle, West Bay Elementary School, and the new subdivisions, Breakwater, as of 8:30 a.m.

He said last year, an air release valve failed, and they had to depressurize the system.

Schaeffer says there are four other valves of the same type as the failed one, and it was decided to proactively replace the valves before the high demand of Spring and Summer.

As well as replacing two old isolation valves.

Officials say that to replace the valves, a 36-inch main had to be drained from the West Bay Bridge to 79, Back Beach Road, which required approximately 800,000 gallons to be drained.

The middle valve replacement was completed at 3 a.m., and the south valve proved a challenge for crews, officials say.

The Utilities Director said crews were flushing the line and expected to open the valve shortly, about an hour after 8:30 a.m.

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