Mancos residents were left without water after pumps failed Saturday morning at the water-treatment facility.
Residents within the town limits may be without water for the next 48 to 72 hours as crews work to restore it, said Andrea Phillips, town administrator. Rural Mancos water users are unaffected.
Crews were working at 6 p.m. Sunday to install a 2-inch pipe directly from Jackson Lake to the storage tank, so the town would have water for toilets. Crews worked overnight on the problem, Mayor Rachael Simbeck said.
About 3 p.m. Sunday, crews were waiting for the glue to dry to test the pipes, Phillips said. It would deliver nonpotable water and provide a temporary fix.
In order to restore water completely, a new pump will have to brought up from Farmington, Phillips said. The town did have a backup pump, but the motor failed.
Residents can pick up bottled water and fill up containers at the water tanker in front of Town Hall. The town is limiting the supply to 5 gallons per person per day and three bottles per person per day. Residents were able to pick up water until 10 p.m. Sunday, and the tanker will be available again at 6 a.m. today. Residents can flush toilets with water brought in from outside.
There were no estimates available on how much this might cost the town.
Mancos schools will be closed today. Other major water users, such as restaurants, were notified of the outage, and most of them throughout town are closed. Water is being delivered to the Valley Inn Nursing home.
Portable bathrooms are available at Boyle Park. Twenty-seven were set up Sunday afternoon.
When water is returned with the 2-inch pipe, residents are encouraged to turn off their ice machines, so the water does not get contaminated, said Karen Dickson, a public-health official.
Residents can call Town Hall for updates about the situation during the next few days. Residents who may have trouble leaving their home are also encouraged to call Town Hall at 533-7725 for assistance.
Town Hall is in need of volunteers, and town officials are accepting donated bottled water.
