Mandatory Water Rationing In Effect For Parts Of Rogers County

Thousands of people in Rogers County are now under a mandatory water rationing order due to water lines damaged in recent floods. Rural Water District #3 implemented the water rationing instructions as they continue to work to fix the leaks.

The rationing is for all non-essential water usage like landscaping, watering yards and gardens, car washing and swimming pools. The RWD said the situation is extremely serious and could potentially threaten health and public safety.

If customers don't honor the water rationing instructions, they risk getting their water shut off at the meter.

Rural Water District #3 on Facebook

Two of three water breaks have been repaired, but the third is at the Oologah dam spillway. That's where a 12-inch pipeline broke last week.

District Manager Rick Stull says about 4,000 homes, or roughly 9,000 people, are impacted. The customers are also under a voluntary, precautionary boil order.

Related story: Thousands In Rogers County Under Voluntary Boil Advisory 

The Rural Water District says it can’t fix the pipeline at the spillway until the water at the lake is low enough, which could be at least a month from now, and will depend on future rain. They are now looking at building a new line and are having an emergency meeting Thursday night to discuss that possibility.

They issued the following reasons for the mandatory water rationing:

• The undamaged water lines are not capable of supplying the volume of water for normal use at this time.
• Currently, storage facilities, (Keetonville Water Tower, West Foyil Water Tower, and the East Foyil Water Tower), are very low, and water available for household use and fire protection is jeopardized.
• Without immediate reduction of water consumption, the entire District could find itself in a very dangerous position in regards to health and public safety.
• The District needs everyone in the affected area to conserve as much as possible and adhere to the mandatory water rationing plan to keep the water flowing and keep the District’s patrons in a suitable supply of potable water.
• The District desperately needs everyone to remain calm, conserve as much as possible, and adhere to the mandatory water rationing plan.

Water customers who don't comply will get a warning for the first offense and risk having their water shut off at the meter for additional offenses, the RWD said on Facebook.