Here is the culprit. The storm destroyed the main water line to LaFayette as shown in this photo by Pamela Holloway.
By John Brice
Correspondent
In the aftermath of fierce thunderstorms that plagued East Alabama on Monday, March 27th 2023 there was severe flooding across Chambers County and it was especially destructive in the vicinity of the City Lake in LaFayette. According to a press release from the City of LaFayette distributed on Wednesday, March 29th “On Tuesday morning March 28, 2023 the overflow of water caused the road to erode, trees to fall, and took out a section of the water main that feeds water from the City Lake pump station to the Water Plant. The water plant is not able to pump water to the City until repairs are completed. The City of LaFayette is currently buying water from Hughley Water. Hughley Water can only provide the City with about half the volume of water that the City normally pumps on a daily basis. This may cause low pressure in some areas and some without water. Such system failure carries with it a potential that fecal contamination or other disease-causing organisms could enter the distribution system. These conditions may pose an imminent and substantial health endangerment to persons served by the system.”
It was announced shortly after noon on March 28th that there would be an Emergency Utility Committee Meeting the next day at 10:00am to address the dire water situation, to be held at the location of the New City Hall which had formerly been BB&T Bank on LaFayette Street North.
Members of the news media and concerned local residents packed the lobby of the former bank and the adjacent side entrance hallway to attend the emergency meeting led by the City Council who sat at a conference table before them to address the burgeoning water crisis. After an invocation by LaFayette Chief of Police George Rampey, Councilwoman Tammie Williams provided reassurance that the city was fully aware of the loss of water service and that they were working with other government agencies to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
Councilman Toney Thomas then addressed the crowd and decisively reiterated the fact that the city was making every effort to restore water service urgently before introducing Ann Gleaton who was on hand to speak on behalf of the city’s water department. Gleaton thoroughly recounted the events leading up to the loss of water pressure and urged citizens to refrain from non-essential uses of water such as washing cars, watering lawn or gardening for example due to the fact that the water plant was not operational at that time. Katie Hill from the Alabama Rural Water Association then addressed the attendees in regards to the unprecedented nature of the damage to the water system in LaFayette caused by the storm.
City Attorney Mac Tucker then interjected to announce that based on a conversation with City Clerk Louis Davidson the city would need to declare a state of emergency and that a second emergency meeting would need to be held later that day with an additional councilman to reach a quorum for the purpose of voting on a motion for further actions to be taken.
Allen Tucker of Harmon Engineering then addressed the meeting in regards to the joint efforts by the city and Chambers County underway to repair the damaged water pipeline. Mayor Kenneth Vines was in Washington D.C.on business at the time of the meeting and called in to address the attendees via speakerphone, sharing the details of his conversations with Congressman Mike Rogers and Senator Katie Britt whom he had apprised of the emergency situation.
Mayor Vines expressed his understanding that citizens had many urgent questions that they wanted to ask but requested their patience in giving officials the time needed to coordinate their efforts so that the crisis could be brought to a close as quickly as possible. Clerk Davidson then clarified that distribution of free cases of bottled water would take place at the County Highway Department instead of the LaFayette Fire Department as had been earlier mentioned.
Councilwoman Williams who had assumed the role of Mayor Pro Tem while Mayor Vines was out of town adjourned the meeting and subsequently Ann Gleaton provided details on the water boil directive that had been issued.
At a second emergency meeting later that day motions were approved to declare a state of emergency and to enter into contracts with third parties for the repair of the damaged portions of the water system as well as approving the ordinances restricting water use to essential needs in the city to conserve its limited supply.
Residents of LaFayette were issued a precautionary boil water notice that stated “Bring tap water to a rolling boil, boil for at least (3) minutes, and cool before using. Or use bottled water suitable for drinking. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth, and preparing food until further noticed.”
In a press release distributed on Friday, March 31st the much welcome news was delivered that the water treatment facility had been put back in service and resumed its normal operations in providing water to the city. While ongoing tests of water quality were still in progress as of that time the water boil advisory remained in effect until it was lifted on Saturday, April 1st.
Speaking on behalf of the water department, Ann Gleaton stated “I have received the bacteria test results and they are Negative for bacteria. ADEM said as soon as we receive negative lab results, the precautionary water boil notice for the City of LaFayette can be lifted. As a result, we are no longer under the precautionary water boil notice.”