Water is now running in the Plantation Bay area and surrounding neighborhoods in Flagler County. Resident Bruce Gagliardo said it was a different story Monday.
“When I first got up at about 530 we had no water,” said Gagliardo.
Gagliardo and his wife brought their dog into the Dixie Commons Animal Hospital to get groomed. Appointments there were cancelled Monday since there was no water.
That's because the Flagler County Sheriff's Office said someone turned on about 20 water pipes in the Plantation Reserve Estates’ new subdivision, intentionally releasing about 400,000 gallons of water from the system.
“We did pranks when we were kids, but nothing like this. A lot of damage, a lot of money, a lot of inconvenience,” said Gagliardo.
FCSO said it will cost nearly $3,000 to fix the problem. The sheriff’s office said it's an inconvenience to 1,700 people who now have to boil their water or some have purchased bottled water.
“Using bottled water for the pets, bottled water for our cooking and coffee,” said Gagliardo.
Keith Brown, owner of Dixie Commons Animal Hospital, said he is disappointed.
“This is the first time I’ve actually heard of somebody opening up a number of [water pipers], did that purpose, just to leave them running,” said Brown.
News 13 was there as the county worked to put caps on the pipes and lock them Tuesday.
Gagliardo is hoping this will keep the crooks from tampering with their water for good.
“Now they're laughing, so let's see what happens if they catch them,” said Gagliardo.
The sheriff's office said the boil water advisory is in effect until Wednesday at the earliest but they said it could be longer.
The sheriff’s office said there was no permanent environmental impact on the water. FCSO said whoever is responsible for the crime could face a felony charge for criminal mischief.