Tulsans Adjust To Days Without Running Water

By Jeffrey Smith, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- More than 170 Tulsa homeowners are spending the weekend without running water.

Tulsa Public Works officials say four valves on a major waterline were in desperate need of replacement, but many residents say they didn't get enough warning from the city.

For Katherine Blossom, it's not the construction that's the biggest problem. It's living without water.

Her whole morning routine has changed.

"Cooking and the bathroom and my coffee," she said. "Mainly my coffee."

The homeowners will be without any water throughout the weekend. And they say there's no way around it and that it's a big burden for everyday living.

City officials say they are doing what they can to lessen the inconvenience by setting up a water truck, which residents can use for any purpose they want.

"It's going to be an inconvenience, and we realize that," said Bob Bledsoe, spokesman for Tulsa Public Works. "But it's a tradeoff. You can either let the water lines deteriorate until you have large, extensive interruptions of service, or you can have planned maintenance like this."

Some homeowners say with two days of notice, it was hard to make preparations.

"The weekend is when I do my laundry and the cleaning and all that stuff because I work doing the week," homeowner Joyce Segovia said.

Segovia has to drive across town to her sister's house to clean up her four kids.

"You just need water no matter what," she said. "Whether it's during the week or the weekends, you just need water no matter what."

Officials with the city hope the sacrifice now will keep the water flowing for decades to come.

Many residents tell me the repair work is needed because the pipes freeze up in the winter and the water is full of dirt in the summer.

Officials say Monday morning is the latest the water will be back on, but they hope the work will be finished Sunday afternoon.

02/18/2009  Related Story: 170 Tulsa Homes Without Water For Weekend