OUTSIDE CLEARWATER, FL -- City officials estimate 550,000 gallons were lost from a reclaimed water tower damaged during a golf cart shooting spree early Tuesday at local golf club.

The 200-foot city water tower just south of Curlew Road, near the intersection of Bayshore Boulevard, was struck by a bullet while Mark Fitzgerald, 49, of Dunedin rode around Dunedin Golf Club with two weapons during the early morning hours, according to a Pinellas County Sheriff's news release.

Passing motorists reported water spurting from the tank and tiny droplets on their windshield.

Fitzegerald, who showed signs of impairment, told deputies he was looking for his dog and was carrying weapons for protection against coyotes.

The water tower has been drained so it can undergo repairs, Courtney King, city spokeswoman, said. The water is used for irrigation; not for drinking, she said.

Officials are unsure of the extent of the damage or how long it will take to repair the tank. 

King said the city will have to notify regulatory agencies and the city's risk and safety office, inspect the tank for damage and weld a patch over any holes. 

"Without knowing full extent of damage it is hard to price. After assessment and inspection are complete a cost can be better determined. Certainly we lost the water in the tank, plus possibly some lost sales of reclaimed water, plus inspection, cleaning, repairs, etc.," she wrote in an email to media.  

King said Dunedin Golf Club is the primary customer served from that tank.

Immediate impact to water customers should be minimal.

The city has three other working water tanks at optimal levels, she said.

Previous Coverage: 

• Deputies: Man in Golf Cart Shoots City Water Tower

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