Water Deliveries to the Rescue for Bluff Residents

Fayette County Emergency Management Coordinator Craig Moreau said there is not definite end in sight to some of the water issues facing Fayette County residents.

“It will take a long time,” Moreau said Wednesday.

The cascading effects of the rolling blackouts, winter weather and busted pipes will leave suppliers playing catch-up for a while, Moreau said, and then when water service is restored to many, they will find leaks in their own water systems caused by the freeze that need to be repaired.

But several local agencies banded together Wednesday to help where they could. A Schulenburg fire truck delivered water to Monument Hill Nursing Center, which did not have water, a day after Ozarka had made a similar delivery to the facility.

Commissioner Drew Brossmann made a similar water delivery to a Schulenburg nursing home in the Pct. 4 water truck, and then the Flatonia fire department helped refill the Pct. 4 truck.

“It was true cooperation,” Moreau said.

Then Moreau, Kim Newton from the City of La Grange and three La Grange High School student volunteers hand delivered cases of bottled water throughout the Frisch Auf! and bluff areas. Many residents there have been without water for days and because of the hilly nature of the area could not leave their homes.

“There was one lady who kind of prompted us to get this going,” Moreau said. “She was panicked. When we got to her house she was visibly crying.”

Later in the day when Moreau was going back the other direction she gave him some homemade cookies in appreciation.

Pct. 1 Commissioner Jason McBroon coordinated the delivery of six pallets of five-gallon jugs of water, which were distributed, one each, to the residents in on the bluff without water.

The Warming Center Issue

Moreau said the county considered creating a warming center during the midst of the storm for people to go to who had lost power, but decided against it.

“Everything is a risk versus reward and we thought the risk was not worth it,” Moreau said. “People die sliding around on the ice trying to drive some where. We thought neighbors helping neighbors was a safer alternative.”