BEAVERTON, Ala. (WTVA) -- Leaders in a Lamar County town are providing people with bottled water and a place to shower after a town water main burst in a nearby creek on Friday (2/26).
Now workers from Vernon Water are trying to get out to the creek to fix the situation.
A look down into the Spring-water well. Photo taken 03-01-21.
Don Lockhart of Beaverton said it's required some adaptation to go without water for a number of days now.
He explained that he and his neighbors are getting their water from either of two running wells nearby, one of which is at the town hall.
"Without that, we'd be hurt," Lockhart said.
He said community members are all trying to pull together right now.
City leaders give away bottled water to help water system customers.
"We've actually probably distributed at least a pallet full so far," Michael Easter of Beaverton City Council said.
Easter explained that on Friday night, city leaders realized there was a problem. They discovered the water line burst after heavy rains caused the water level in the nearby creek to rise several feet. Easter said the water line is in the creek and is sometimes visible.
He added the water system is outdated.
Now, some in Beaverton have running water, and some do not.
Easter said the railroad tracks next to the town hall act as the dividing line. People living on the Southside of the tracks are fine, but people living on the Northside have no running water.
Easter added that on Tuesday, teams from Vernon Water are supposed to come out and try to maneuver trucks through the mud and trees to reach the creek. Teams are planning to bore a new water line under the creek.
In the meantime, Easter and his small team are working with Vernon Water and the fire department to provide for the people of Beaverton.
People can get pallets of water from the town hall and can shower at the fire department.
As far as getting the water fixed, Easter said teams will try to get to the creek soon, but the weather could potentially interfere, as more rain could cause creek water levels to continue rising. He said rainwater runs off into the creek.
Easter said Vernon Water went door to door handing out water to people on Saturday morning. He added people can come by the town hall every day this week to get water.
If they come between noon and 5 pm, there may be no one there. In that case, they can call Easter. His number is on Facebook a post about the free water on the City of Beaverton's Facebook page.
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