Long Beach residents are one step closer to normalcy on Friday. City officials announced this morning that Long Beach’s water supply is safe to drink. However, residents, health care facilities, businesses were told that all faucets and taps must be flushed out for 10 to 15 minutes before drinking or using the water.
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Long Beach’s sewer system has been restored, though it is still not operating at full capacity. The city asks residents to continue to conserve water until the system reaches full capacity to avoid overburdening the fragile system.
Long Beach was among the hardest hit regions of New York when Hurricane Sandy made landfall on Oct. 29. Residents are still living without power, now 12 days after the storm passed through the area.
The Long Beach Branch remains the only line of the Long Island Rail Road that is still non-operational, though the MTA has expanded service to the area by provided bus service.
Images from Long Beach show thick layers of sand, washed ashore by the storm surges, covering city streets and burying vehicles.
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