UPDATE (2/15/2023): The boil water notice for Fort Myers Beach has been lifted.
The Town of Fort Myers Beach put a boil water notice in place following Saturday evening's water main break.
Adding that as of Monday the break is repaired and everyone should have water but ask that you make sure to continue to boil your water as the area is still under a boil water notice.
The water must be tested before the boil water notice can be lifted. As of 4 p.m. Monday, the Town of Fort Myers Beach says they do not know exactly how long the boil water notice will be in place - they also don't have an exact time for how long samples will take.
Doug Miller/Founder and Chef of FK your diet:
Beth and John Bacha are residents of Fort Myers Beach who explain, "We’ve been able to get some water over here from the donations that people have made so we’re using that for especially feeding the dog and making sure she’s got freshwater and using it for brushing her teeth and anything else. We know there’s a lot going on and everybody’s trying to be patient as they’re trying to do work I guess at times things like this will happen so we are hoping that will be over soon."
Beth and John Bacha say they are taking it day by day and plan to keep boiling their water but taking a pause on cooking and cleaning so they don't use extra water...
But for a large group of volunteers in the parking lot of Beach Baptist Church who help to feed thousands of people every day... "People that lost everything in the storm, foster families, homeless people, anybody that needs a meal," says Doug Miller the Founder and Chef for FK Your Diet.
Miller says it all runs on donations and it adds up to now using bottled water for everything.
"We’re boiling water to clean with and then we’re using bottled water so it adds to our cost. It adds time to everything that you do a job that normally takes one minute now takes about nine minutes."
Since Hurricane Ian, they say they've helped feed more than 300,000 people. And residents say they are grateful for volunteers and organizations like this who have been donating water.
"In the midst of hard things like a boil water notice to know you could drive a mile or two down the road and have people with a smile give you what you need and try to help you it’s amazing," says Bacha.
The Town of Fort Myers Beach says you can go to their "Notify Me" feature on the Town's website to sign up to receive texts or emails to stay about the latest with the boil water notice. The town also says the break is repaired, and everyone should have water but make sure you continue to boil your water before consuming.
