Caney, Kansas Under Boil Order After Closed Valve Stops Flow Of Water

Caney, Kansas officials are trying to determine who turned off a main valve to the city's water tower over the weekend, leaving the community just north of the Oklahoma state line nearly dry.

Because of the low pressure, Caney Valley Schools canceled classes Monday.

City workers discovered the closed valve Sunday evening and reopened it. Mayor Carol McClure says due to low levels in the city's water tower, Caney's water treatment plant is finding it hard to refill the tank and restore water pressure in the distribution system.

She says city workers have begun hauling water in from outside sources in an effort to fill the water tower.

In the meantime, McClure says the Kansas Department of Health and Environment has recommended residents and businesses boil drinking water as a precaution.

"We are asking for your patience during this situation. This is a time for this community to pull together," she said in a news release.

The mayor says the city is trying to determine who shut off the valve without the city's knowledge.