City crews finally got the water flowing into Salem’s water tower again late Thursday afternoon, making things mostly back to normal with just a few exceptions.
“We made it through, yep,” resident Nicole Klinkhammer said as she watched a girls’ softball game.
The town had been bone dry. City officials hoped the water would flow by mid-morning, but after a day of delays, the announcement finally came at 5:30 p.m. Thursday to go ahead and turn on the taps. Word came just in time for the big game.
“I like to go swimming and play ball and hang out with all of my friends,” ten-year-old Sarah Wegener said.
Wegener's softball team took to the diamond against Alexandria right on schedule. The water shortage didn't stop practice the night before either.
“We had bottled water in our fridge,” Wegener said.
But the difference Thursday was what waited at home following the long game in the warm evening sun.
“I can't wait to go home and take that shower,” Wegener’s Mother, Becky, said.
The faulty computer part in the town’s water treatment plant has been replaced. City officials are still trying to figure out what triggered the problem early Wednesday morning.
“It was long enough, yes,” Klinkhammer said. “I had to put reminders on my faucet so I wouldn't use them.”
“We had electricity, which was much better than not having the water,” Wegener said.
Salem's water system isn't fully caught up yet though. City officials said residents could resume normal indoor usage, but urged people to wait for anything outside to make sure the system was all the way back up first.
Comments