Fort Myers curfew lifted; boil water order could end soon
More small steps toward normalcy have been taken in Fort Myers, where a nighttime curfew has been lifted and city officials are hopeful that a notice to boil water before using can soon be lifted for the city's water supply.
The city curfew had been in effect from 9 p.m. until 6 p.m. It was lifted effective at noon Tuesday.
Both the curfew and the boil water notice were issued in response to Hurricane Ian's path of destruction from the Gulf of Mexico through Lee County.
"It's welcome news for businesses that the curfew would be lifted because now they can abide by their normal hours of operation," said Lee Commissioner Brian Hamman, who also is president of the Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce. "It also kind of draws a line in the sand that this is one more step toward returning to normal after the storm."
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Fort Myers' public works crews have been waiting to see whether the water passes inspection assuring that it is safe to drink from the tap before withdrawing the boil water notice.
"We are optimistic that it will come back okay and we will be able to lift the notice," Mayor Kevin Anderson said Tuesday.
"Whenever you have leaks, and in this case it was multiple leaks, we want to be sure before we lifted that the water was good," Anderson said.
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Fort Myers boil water advisory still in effect
A boil water advisory was issued because the hurricane's impact included a number of breaks in the underground water system of pipes that deliver potable water to homes and businesses.
As county officials described the situation last week, as land becomes saturated, the pipes shift underground. That can mean splinters and breaks in the pipes that bring water from the treatment plants, down streets and into kitchens and bathrooms.
Boil water notices are issued to make sure that contaminants that seep into the pipes through a break have been flushed from the system. Only then is the boil water notice lifted.
More on local boil water orders: Is there one near you? Check our map
Lee County curfews lifted weeks after Hurricane Ian
Curfews in the larger Lee County cities have been lifted.
In addition to the expiration of the Fort Myers curfew effective at noon Tuesday, Bonita Springs and Cape Coral have also lifted curfews that were imposed in the aftermath of Ian's passing through the region. A countywide curfew imposed by Lee County officials had previously been lifted.
Restrictions on people being out and about in Fort Myers Beach, where a large swath of the town was wiped out by the storm, are still in effect.
The town is allowing visits from people involved in securing or inspecting their property and the impact of the hurricane.
Property owners, residents, business owners and insurance adjusters are being allowed into the hard hit shoreline community to assess damage and gather information for an ultimate decision on the course of action.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Hurricane Ian: Fort Myers curfew done, boil water notice may end soon
