Bottled Water Distributed To Northern Nowata County Water Customers

Flooding in Nowata County has some residents near the Kansas state line without access to clean drinking water. 

Nowata County Emergency Management is urging customers of Rural Water District #7 to pickup bottled water from two locations, Oklahoma Union Public Schools on Highway 169 at Highway 10 or the South Coffeyville Fire Department at 418 Willow Street. 

In addition, customers can bring their own water containers to the fire station to be filled.  The other option is to boil their water.

More than more than six inches of rain fell along the Oklahoma-Kansas state line this week. The nearby Verdigris River rose three feet above its flood stage. Area creeks filled up and all that high water caused another problem. 

10/10/2014 Related Story: Verdigris River Flooding Threatens Nowata County Roads

At a bridge project in the northern part of Nowata County workers struck a water line, breaking it. By Thursday evening, workers had applied a temporary fix. But after the heavy rains on Friday, the water rose in the creek under the bridge causing the water line to break again. 

Officials say another temporary water line is in place, but Emergency Management says the water may not be safe to drink. 

"It would be in their best interests right now to boil the water before they get something," said Richard Miller, Nowata County Emergency Management. 

Workers for RWD #7 have to wait for the water in the creek to go down before they can make a permanent fix. 

"When the flood water came in it just took it out, so it's going to be a mess, it's going to be a time consuming thing," Richard Miller. 

In the meantime, water donated by the Cherokee Nation is being handed out to 2,000 customers of Nowata County Rural Water District #7. 

"Until somebody needs water I'll be here till they get it," said Billy Shufeldt. 

Shufeldt volunteered his Saturday to hand out more than 90 cases of bottled water to customers. 

"You don't want to get sick from it--drinking bad water, so yeah it's very important we have a lot of families with kids and all that, they definitely don't need to be sick," said Billy Shufeldt. 

"A neighbor just called he said, 'hey we're going to be without water, so if you need some go get some,'" said Jo Herriman. 

Customers of RWD #7 are preparing in case they need to boil their water. 

"I think it's life, that's just--deal with it and go on," said Jo Herriman. 

Nowata Emergency Management said said they'll keep the donation sites open until the water line is fixed in a couple of days.