Alva Residents Dealing With Limited Water Supply Due To Blizzard

City crews are working to restore the water supply in Alva after blizzard conditions knocked out power.

According to the city, the water well field lost power on Monday, February 25, critically limiting the water supply throughout the city. Some residents have lost water completely, while others are experiencing a very limited supply.

Since Monday, the city has been working to get the electrical service back on. The recent blizzard knocked out power Monday to thousands of customers including the city's water well field. Alfalfa Electric Cooperative is still working to repair approximately 15 miles of power lines that were damaged during the storm.

2/26/2013 Related Story: Thousands Of Oklahomans Still Without Power After Winter Storm

As of Thursday morning, 10 of the 12 normal water wells are now operational with four wells working with permanent power. The other six water wells are operating under a generator.

The temporary fix is pumping approximately 1,500 gallons of water per minute to Alva. However, it's not enough because the city uses approximately two million gallons of water per day.

The city's water distribution system is currently 10 to 15 percent charged. Until the power is fully restored, though, the water supply remains critical and the city asks residents who do have water to conserve until further notice.

Related Link 2/25/13: Winter Storm Dumps As Much As 22 Inches Of Snow In Oklahoma