Police Look Into Who Shut Down Caney, Kansas Water System

Police are investigating who closed a water valve to the city's water tower late Sunday, leaving the Kansas community of 2,000 residents on the Kansas-Oklahoma state line nearly dry.

Caney's Mayor Carole McClure says city workers discovered the closed valve Sunday night and reopened it. She says the valve is in a 6-inch hole and it takes a special tool to turn it off.

In addition, workers found and repaired a water leak at a Caney nursing home.

Because of the leak and low levels in the water tower, most of the city had little or no water pressure and Caney's water treatment plant was having a hard time restoring service.

2/23/2015 Related Story: Caney, Kansas Under Boil Order After Closed Valve Stops Flow Of Water

Police Chief James Rogers said his department is now trying to determine who shut the valve off and why.

McClure says the city's 10 restaurants closed down because of the low pressure and a mandatory boil order. The problem also closed Caney's schools Monday.

McClure says they are waiting for tests sent to Kansas Department of Health to determine if the boil order will be lifted.

Meanwhile, residents are still under a precautionary boil order.