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Residents of one county in Middle Tennessee are being asked to conserve water until further notice as the are continues to recover following recent frigid temperatures.
Much of the midstate experienced sub-zero wind chills and single-digit temperatures over the holiday weekend, with some regions seeing a wind chill of up to 20 degrees below zero. The dangerously-cold temps not only led to massive power outages and rolling blackouts to conserve energy, but it was also cold enough to cause water pipes to leak and burst. Most of Macon County is without water due to leaks and low water levels, News Channel 5 reports, so local leaders are encouraging residents to conserve their water usage.
Residents in Lafayette and Red Boiling Springs are being asked to continue conserving water, with the latter's water system reaching maximum capacity, forcing some businesses to close. Officials and utility crews are working to fix the issues, but it's unknown how long it could take.
"The water system is fully operational yet has reached maximum capacity," Red Boiling Springs Police Chief James Killmon said in a statement to WKRN. "The city's utility workers are doing everything in their power to resolve this issue."
Red Boiling Springs is providing cases of bottled water to those in need, which can be picked up at City Hall and the fire department. Cases of water are also available to residents at Lafayette City Hall.