Craig County Residents Upset Over Lack Of Water

Dan Bewley, News On 6

CRAIG COUNTY -- Residents near Vinita are still trying to figure out why they haven't had water for the last two weeks.

"Since the third of July we've not had any water to speak of," Lindy Davenport said.

The water is running now but for nearly two weeks there's barely been a dribble. Which means everything suffers, from the dishes to the plants.

"Well it's hot and dirty and you have to go somewhere else to take a shower," Davenport said.

Lindy Davenport lives in Craig County Rural Water District Number Two. Customers all across the district have been dealing with the same problem since before the 4th of July.

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Jeff Mueller is a volunteer firefighter in Centralia. One of the bays at his fire station has been converted into a makeshift watering hole, with bottled and potable water ready to distribute.

"Everybody is upset," Mueller said.

To make it worse, Mueller and Davenport say they can't seem to find out why.

"No answers from anyone," Davenport said.

"You can call and talk to two different people from the water department and get three or four different stories from them," Mueller said.

No one from the water district was able to go on camera and the only woman inside the building told News On 6 the problem stems from a water leak and chicken houses using so much water.

She also said the reason why residents may have been left in the dark is that she simply didn't have time to contact them.

The woman says everyone should have water now but customers are asked to boil it until the district gets its test results back.

Davenport and Mueller are thrilled the water is back on, but both are worried about what unseen problems it may have caused.

"This is a terrible time of the year to have this problem, this is when you start having trouble getting water to your livestock," Mueller said.

The water district will hold a public meeting Thursday night. Many residents tell me they'll be on hand to voice their displeasure. It's starts at 7 p.m. at the headquarters just east of Vinita