WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — People living in south West Palm Beach and south Palm Beach are celebrating not just the Fourth of July, but the return of their water pressure at full capacity.
WATCH BELOW: 'Now that we have full pressure, the showers have more power,' Adam Simpson tells WPTV
After months of waking up to mere dribbles from their faucets, the community turned to WPTV for help...and the results flowed faster than their water at the time.
"It was like man, as soon as they came by, the next day we got water," shared Adam Simpson, a grateful resident who found relief alongside his neighbors, thanks to the WPTV listening to their concerns. "You got a lot of people, in this neighborhood especially, singing your praises because we have a lot of families in this area; it's not just us."
On Monday, Simpson told WPTV he had been struggling with low water pressure for 6 months, which made morning routines a challenge for his family of five.
WATCH PREVIOUS COVERAGE BELOW: 'To not be able to use a product that I'm paying for on demand is frustrating,' Adam Simpson tells WPTV
With three children to get ready, he was forced to postpone showers and keep buckets of water on standby for flushing toilets.
WPTV’s Joel Lopez took Simpson concerns straight to the city's utilities director.
The very next day, the community experienced an unexpected surprise: water pressure flooded back into their pipes.
"My son was like, ‘Dad, Dad, the shower is working!’ and I’m like, ‘Well, it should work.’ He’s like, ‘No, no, it’s working!’" Simpson exclaimed joyfully. "Now that we have full pressure, the showers have more power, the sink has more power, and the sprinklers actually reach all the areas of the lawn like we had!"
But these joyous moments came after frustration for residents, including Bob Hughes, who had initially reached out about the water pressure crisis from the condos on South Palm Beach Island.
WATCH PREVIOUS COVERAGE BELOW: 'It's multiple buildings that have this problem,' General Manager Eddy Pereira tells WPTV
He told Lopez he woke up at 4:30 a.m. with pressure restored, he again turned to WPTV, eager to understand how such a rapid change had taken place.
During Lopez's meeting with Utilities Director Victor Carosi, it was initially revealed one contributor to the low water pressure was due to the ongoing drought affecting irrigation demands.
Carosi assured the community, "It's a significant number of residents that are being impacted. We're doing the best we can because this is not a spot that we want to be in."
He said his team was investigating, and later Lopez pressed for answers and learned an issue with a valve had been obstructing the water flow.
Carosi assured with Lopez his team is committed to monitoring the situation to prevent further disruptions, but is confident the issue has been resolved.
"I think you solved a really big issue," Simpson expressed. "We just appreciate you guys doing what you did."
