Emergency Management stepping in to aid residents

Earlier this week a few customers of the Garland County Regional Water District lost water at their homes and business. As the week went on, more and more customers lost water. As of today all of Fox Pass Cutoff, most of Fountain Lake, customers in Saline County up Highway 5 to Owensville and businesses and residents up Highway 7 to the Village gates do not have water.

The Water District knows the water tower on Fox Pass Cutoff is empty. There is a leak somewhere in the system but workers have been unable to pinpoint the problem. The water outage has no end in sight.

Wednesday Garland County Judge Rick Davis stepped in to help suffering residents. A Declaration was signed asking the state to free assets to pay for water and basic services. Joy Sanders of Garland County Emergency Management opened two sites to aid residents.

Both sites are on Highway 7, one at the corner of Fox Pass Cutoff and the other at the Teen Challenge facility. Portable toilets, including handicap facilities, and hot showers are now at both sites. Potable water is being distributed at both sites. Residents are asked to bring their own jugs for water.

There is a fire truck at each location to distribute non-potable water for use at homes to flush toilets, etc.

Emergency Management will keep both sites open until the problem with North Garland County Regional Water District is resolved and water service is restored. There is a boil water in effect for most of the Water District's customers.