Residents hunt for water

Staff writer

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link Staff photo: Joshua Lucero

Eastern New Mexico University senior Daniel Strong buys several gallons of water for his house and his dogs Wednesday afternoon at Super Save Discount Foods.

With no water to the entire city most of Tuesday and Wednesday, Portales residents scrambled to find water to keep up with their daily necessities.

Crews from the City of Portales’ and TLC Plumbing worked through the night Tuesday and into the morning Wednesday to repair a cracked pipeline that required city officials to shut off water to the entire city.

Water was restored to the city late Wednesday afternoon after water department crews replaced the cracked portion of pipe and bled air out of the water lines.

Portales resident Sandra Villanueva went to Walmart Wednesday afternoon to stock up on water for the rest of her day.

Villanueva said she had received a heads-up about the water problem Tuesday afternoon and managed to clean her dishes and do her laundry before the water was shut off to the city.

Eastern New Mexico University student and track athlete Skyler McMath said he wasn’t as lucky with Wednesday’s water shortage.

“It’s been rough. I live with four roommates who are athletes and unable to shower. Even our cooking had to change,” McMath said.

McMath said he and his roommates were not able to do their dishes before the water was shut off and had to improvise when cooking Wednesday morning and Tuesday night because the restaurants in Portales were closed.

ENMU senior Daniel Strong said the water shut off was good and bad for him.

Strong said he was glad that the university canceled classes Wednesday, but he found himself needing water for his dog, which had just had puppies.

He had to make a trip to Super Save Discount Foods, one of the only stores open Wednesday, to buy water for his dogs to drink and to use in the restrooms at his house.

Dale Burrow, who was in Portales Wednesday with her grandchildren from Odessa, Texas, said she was surprised to go out Wednesday and find all of the restaurants closed.

Burrow said she had planned to take her grandchildren to eat lunch during the afternoon, but instead she took them to Rotary Park to play.

Burrow’s grandson, Jasper Burrow, 9, said he didn’t like the water shortage, because he wasn’t able to take a bath.

“I just feel like it’s taking them a long time,” Dale Burrow said of the city’s effort to repair the pipeline.

Villanueva had a different view of the city’s efforts Wednesday.

“I am understanding and appreciative of the men out there trying to get our water back,” Villanueva said. “I know they’re working as hard and fast as possible.”

Other Portales residents shared Villanueva's appreciation.

Officials working on the pipelines said they received food and drinks from residents throughout the night and into the morning.