Water Loss and Pressure Problems Continue in Knox County – Customers Asked to Conserve Water Countywide
This drinking water was delivered to Herzog Lumber in Knox City on Friday afternoon, September 6, 2019 for KCPWSD customers without potable drinking water. Photo by Echo Menges
Knox County, Missouri – Friday, September 6, 2019 – 5:00 p.m. – According to the Knox County Emergency Management Director, bottles of drinking water were delivered to the Knox City Firehouse at 215 East Thomas Street and Herzog Lumber, on the southwest corner of the intersection of Highway 6 and McCoy Street in Knox City Friday afternoon.
The drinking water is for any Knox County resident who does not have potable drinking water. There is no charge. Citizens may pick up water bottles at either location.
The Knox County Nursing Home reported having running water at approximately 3:30 p.m. Friday afternoon. According to Knox County Public Water Supply District No. 1 Manager Gary Mallett, water was rerouted from Baring to supply the nursing home and water customers west of Knox City have had water restored. Water customers east of Knox City have not. It is unknown when water to all KCPWSD customers will be restored.
This post will be updated with more information when it becomes available.
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Knox City, Missouri – Friday, September 6, 2019 – 11:00 a.m. – The Knox County Public Water Supply District No. 1 is struggling to fix water loss and pressure problems being experienced by a wide area of customers.
“I need the first five people who lose water completely to call me directly – every time it happens,” said KCPWSD Manager Gary Mallett. “If we can get it narrowed down within the first hour we have a better chance of finding the leak, and finding it faster. My cell phone number (660)341-6053. I’ve never seen anything like this.”
There have been four water main breaks in the Knox City area. It has not been determined how the first three leaks occurred. The last leak was caused by digging and laying fiber optic wire, according to Mallett.
“The pressure has not been over 80 pounds. It should not have been caused by pressure,” said Mallett.
Today, the KCPWSD has been struggling to determine why water pressure has been lost in the area of the Knox County Nursing Home and School District, just east of Edina, east to the Knox County Line, north to the State Higway K and south to HIghways T and U.
If there are KCPWSD customers who have lost water completely they are asked to call Mallett directly at the above mentioned phone number immediately.
“We’re trying to reroute water from Baring to the Knox County Nursing Home, but it is a challenge. I’ve been running water from Novelty in, but I just shut that down because if I lose water in Novelty the whole county will be in a mess.”
Mallett is asking all KCPWSD water customers to conserve water for the time being.
