ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, December 16, 1995 TAG: 9512180055
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: NARROWS
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE STAFF WRITER
Everett, a project manager with D&Z Hydro Operations, said it was the community effort that averted a crisis.
"I've never in my life seen a community pull together like this one has," he said.
Bertie's self-service laundry closed Thursday. So did Narrows Elementary and High schools. Of the 200 or so calls Everett and the town manger's office received in the past three days, no one complained.
"They were asking what they could do to help, and how things were going. They were more than understanding," Everett said.
At 6 Wednesday morning, Everett got a call when water in the town's two main wells sat at 5 and 6 feet. The level normally stays between 31 and 34 feet.
That morning, Everett and his crew found leaks from two, 8-inch main pipes. They found another leak, this time from a smaller pipe, on Thursday.
The culprit, Everett explained, was weather.
"In winter time with it freezing one week, then warming up the next, the ground is going to shift, and that puts pressure on them lines."
By Friday, water levels had risen to 18 feet - mostly because residents had cut down on their water usage, Everett said.
He hopes water levels will return to normal by Monday. Until then, Narrows residents should use common sense rules to conserve water.
"If you usually take shower every day, do it every two days," Everett said. "You know, don't do 100 loads of laundry. Just every little bit helps."
If anything good came out of the water shortage, it was Everett's renewed faith in the community he moved into four years ago.
"Out of all the assignments in my company, I've got the best one."
LENGTH: Short : 40 linesby CNB