In Relief Effort, Broken Arrow Deems Friday 'Take Your Employees To Lunch Day'

The Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce is urging area citizens to step up to help businesses affected by the recent water emergency.

A water main break forced the Tulsa City-County Health Department to order Broken Arrow restaurants serving open food to close on Wednesday while crews sampled the water supply and tested it for contaminants.

Residents and business owners likely breathed a collective sigh of relief when test results announced Thursday morning indicated the water was safe for consumption and business as usual could resume.

6/12/2013: Related Story: Health Department Orders Broken Arrow Restaurants Closed

The precautions were necessary, the health department said, but the affect it had on restaurant owners and workers was steep.

"Closing your business for 36 hours would be a strain on any business," Main Street Tavern owner Jason Scarpa said. "In addition to our restaurant losing income, our employees lost wages they rely on."

Besides shutting their doors during a precautionary boil advisory, most restaurants were forced to toss thousands of dollars in food they already prepared, and employees took a hit in the paycheck.

To help lessen the hardship on restaurants, the BA Chamber is promoting Friday as "Take Your Employees to Lunch Day." Businesses are being asked to allow their employees time to grab lunch at a Broken Arrow restaurant.

"In addition to eating out, consider tipping a little extra to help the employees who lost wages," chamber senior vice president April Sailsbury said.

6/13/13 Related Story: Broken Arrow Water Emergency Rescinded

The boil order was lifted Thursday morning after samples for contamination returned negative results.

The emergency began Tuesday after a PSO transformer that powers Broken Arrow's water treatment facility went out Monday night. The city had to shut off its main water valve on its supply line. That supply line burst when the city reopened it Tuesday.