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Tenants in several apartment complexes have raised concerns over water shortages, and a number of businesses chose to shut down early on Sunday.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The frigid temperatures affected more than just outdoor activities.
JEA has reported that Downtown Jacksonville is experiencing lower-than-usual water pressure, attributed to a surge in demand.
In response to these conditions, Sweet Pete’s decided to close earlier than scheduled, citing “unexpected circumstances” on a notice posted on their door.
This closure added to the frustration for visitors we spoke to, who already faced disappointments during their trip to Florida.
“I was not prepared for it to be this cold,” said Elizabeth Reilly outside of Sweet Pete’s.
Reilly made the trek down from Savannah to take on the Donna Marathon, and although she ran plenty to prepare, the weather wasn’t on her side.
“I had to stop at mile four,” said Reilly. “I had an asthma attack because of the weather. The cold weather is a trigger for me.”
They tried to salvage the trip with a tour of Sweet Pete’s.
“We had like an hour-long tour, they were going to show us the history of the chocolate, show us how to make it, we were going to leave here with some chocolate bars,” said Reilly’s husband, Tyler Reilly. “Not today.”
Sweet Pete’s closed early with issues with their water pressure — issues that were felt around downtown.
The Ashley Square senior living community told First Coast News their residents didn’t have any water for several hours.
JSO closed its Police Memorial Building on Bay Street early due to issues with its water as well.
One tenant at the Loft apartments in LaVilla said he had little more than a trickle for most of the day.
“7 o’clock, I turned the water on, but there wasn’t any water,” said Carl Grant. “It was time for me to wash my face and get ready for breakfast. I went into the kitchen and thought, ‘Hey, I paid my bill!’”
A spokesperson with JEA said water pressure in downtown was down due to increased demand, and they did have reports of burst pipes. In fact, an irrigation pipe at First Coast News was spraying water.
“If someone believes their pipes have burst or are cracked, we recommend turning off your water at the main shut-off valve and contacting a licensed plumber,” said JEA spokesperson Karen McAllister.
With below-freezing temperatures again Sunday night and Monday morning, JEA wants to make sure folks protect them again.
“We encourage our customers to run their faucets both hot and cold at a slow trickle,” said McAllister.
The Reillys also had an issue with their water pressure at their Airbnb, but they’ve managed to keep smiling through their cold trip to Florida.
“We still have each other,” said Reilly. “Life could be so much worse.”
McAllister said the cold weather is driving demand higher than usual, so they’re asking folks to limit nonessential electricity and water usage.
With that, they’re asking customers to drip their faucets to keep the water flowing, but not a full stream.