Water shut-off for Manatee, Sarasota islands including Anna Maria, Siesta Key

MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Manatee County and Sarasota County are shutting off water due to Hurricane Helene.

Manatee County

Manatee County Utilities announced they will shut off water to the island cities by 6 a.m. on Thursday.

The cities include:

• Anna Maria Island
• Holmes Beach
• Bradenton Beach
• Town of Longboat Key

Anticipated winds and storm surge could threaten the the integrity of the infrastructure.

According to Manatee County Utilities, water will be restored to the islands as soon as it is safe to do so.

MCSO has established a checkpoint at the entrance of Anna Maria Island to reduce any traffic and sightseers.

To be able to pass the checkpoint:

• Residents and property owners of the City of Anna Maria with ID or Hang Tag
• Persons renting or staying at a vacation rental unit within the City of Anna Maria
• All business owners and their employees
• Workers tending to a job site within the city
• Delivery and transport workers such as UPS, Uber, etc.
• Any other vehicles at the discretion of the MCSO deputy manning the checkpoint

This checkpoint will remain open until further notice.

Sarasota County

The Sarasota County Public Utilities will be shutting off water by 8 a.m. Thursday.

The areas affected include:

• Siesta Key
• Bird Key
• St. Armands Key
• Lido Key

Sarasota County Public Utilities said with the potential storm surge, the water shut-off is a proactive measure to protect the community’s infrastructure from saltwater.

Water service will be restored with a boil water advisory as soon as possible.

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