Water production resumes

David Castle walks past his home on Cozy Acres Terrace near the intersection with Fowler Street in Mountain Pine on Tuesday. A storm that moved through the Garland County area Monday evening damaged numerous homes in the area. Photography by Richard Rasmussen of The Sentinel-Record.
David Castle walks past his home on Cozy Acres Terrace near the intersection with Fowler Street in Mountain Pine on Tuesday. A storm that moved through the Garland County area Monday evening damaged numerous homes in the area. Photography by Richard Rasmussen of The Sentinel-Record.

UPDATE:

The city’s Ouachita Water Treatment Plant has resumed production, but the city of Hot Springs said in a news release that Hot Springs Municipal Utilities customers in Hot Springs and Garland County are asked to continue voluntary water conservation efforts until water tanks reach normal levels, which is expected to occur sometime tonight.

During Monday night’s storms, an Entergy substation serving the plant lost power, and the plant generator was damaged by a lightning strike.

“Fortunately, our Utilities staff had filled all the towers in the system, anticipating a potential problem from inclement weather,” City Manager David Watkins said in the release.

“We appreciate their extraordinary efforts as well of those of Greg Asbell of Entergy, who prioritized our situation. We’d also like to thank (County) Judge Rick Davis and Garland County Department of Emergency Management Director Bo Robertson, who coordinated with the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to locate a generator in Memphis that can provide backup power to the plant.”

ORIGINAL STORY:

Hot Springs residents are currently in mandatory water conservation status and are asked to immediately conserve water by all means possible following a power outage at the Ouachita Water Treatment Plant during Monday's severe storm, the city said in a news release.

"The plant's generator was struck by lightning and is also inoperable. Entergy crews have been onsite but have yet been unable to restore power," it said.

"Residents and businesses are asked to turn off automatic sprinkler systems, delay laundry, car and dish washing, take shorter showers and utilize avoid water usage during this critical period when the city is unable to produce water. It is also imperative that water not be used to wash away storm debris from driveways, patios, decks and walkways. The public will be notified as soon as mandatory conservation status is lifted," the release said.

Due to a power outage and a generator that was struck by lightning, the Ouachita water treatment plant is unable to produce water, County Judge Rick Davis said this morning in a Facebook posting.

"This is the main treatment facility for the Hot Springs water system. All customers are asked to only use the absolute minimum water needed. Entergy is working hard to get power restored and we are searching for a generator in the interim," Davis said.

Davis said officials have been in touch with Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, which has already contacted Arkansas National Guard. "So far they don't have any generators that even approach the size needed," he said.

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