Starke residents cleared to drink municipal water

STARKE, Fla. – About 7,000 residents of the Starke Water Department can use their tap water again Monday for drinking and cooking, three days after a water line break caused the city to issued a boil water notice.

The water had pass at least two separate bacteriological surveys before the water could be declared safe to use.

A contractor broke a water line on State Road 301 South Friday afternoon and public works and emergency management crews worked to repair it. Officials told News4Jax the water pressure dropped below what is considered safe. When that happens, the Department of Environmental Protection then mandates a boil water advisory just in case there's contamination.

Emergency management worked to get water for the jail, fire stations and police department, a spokesman said. The department gathered enough water to supply the city's schools in case the boil advisory was still in force when school started  Monday.

"If there's something that the city has found for them to believe that there's a threat, I think we always need to take it seriously no matter what it is," said Vicki Tucker, city clerk of Starke.

Customers were asked to boil their water for at least one full minute prior to drinking or cooking. Washing your hands, doing laundry or other activities where the water is not ingested is fine without treatment.

Bottled water was also an option for use during the day.

For questions, contact the city of Starke clerk's office at 904-964-5027 or visit www.cityofstarke.org


About the Authors:

Ashley Harding joined the Channel 4 news team in March 2013. She reports for and anchors The Morning Show.