Livingston officials said things are returning to normal after the final boil water advisory lifted for for the North Overton Utility District.
Livingston Mayor Lori Elder Burnett said waterlines have been repaired and the water tanks have been fully replenished. Burnett said the city is currently assessing the damage and the costs for repairs.
“We’re putting those numbers together because we were in a state of emergency, and an order has been signed where we are hopeful to get some reimbursements from FEMA during this emergency,” Burnett said.
Burnett said crews worked tirelessly all last week to repair leaks and restore safe drinking water. She added that while the teams are exhausted, the city deeply appreciates their dedication and hard work during the crisis.
“It did slow down a lot over the weekend when we fixed multiple leaks, having to watch the tanks very closely just to make sure that we were building back up,” Burnett said. “But yes, today we are kind of getting to take a breath, reassess, and make sure how we did and anything we could have done differently, and how to stay prepared for any unforeseen circumstances in the future as well, but we are all happy that this is behind us.”
Water customers were first put on a boil advisory last Monday after a main waterline ruptured. Burnett said problems continued even after repairing the main line, as more leaks were discovered.
“It just kind of hit us all at once, and so the leaks that we have repaired have really tightened up our system, and we are feeling a whole lot better at this point,” Burnett said.
Burnett said many people were confused about where their water came from once the boil advisories were put in place. Burnett said she wants to clear up the confusion.
“The boil notices for the City of Livingston, if that’s where you pay your bill, you are who we are talking to,” Burnett said. “If you pay your bill at North Overton Utility District, you need to listen for notices about North Overton. If it’s the West Overton Utility District, you need to listen for notices about West Overton. So the city actually sells water to different utility districts.”
“So they are the ones who are going to be the ones in charge of the information that you need to receive about your drinking water. So I know there were a lot of people who did not know exactly where their water came from, but just look at your bill, wherever you write your check to, those are the people you need to listen to.”
Burnett said the city remains hopeful that a similar situation can be avoided in the future.