Water Flowing in Mapleton, Oregon, After No Water Due to Heavy Sediment
Mapleton, Oregon, residents are under a boil notice for a few more days after being without water since November 16. Water is now available to residents.
Originally, Mapleton had no water due to heavy sediment and leaves from recent rains, reported KPIC News.
This rainfall caused the rented filtration equipment to shut down. To manage these conditions, businesses including Bi-mart and Fred Meyer supplied drinkable water to individuals affected by the shutdown, reported Coast Radio News.
Mapleton Water District president Millie Rochon also asked people to shut down their water fed appliances, reported KPIC News.
The town's water tank was empty because the filtration could not keep up with the debris coming in from the rainfall.
"Now renting a second filtration system, so that is supposed to take out the big stuff like leaves so it won't plug up the other filter," said Vanessa West, the Mapleton Water Board secretary, reported KPIC News. "It should be enough if we do it right and we pay for the right system.”
The city must rent before purchasing their own system, which they recently received a grant to do.
According to KPIC News, there are about 250 houses in the Mapleton Water District.
"My goal is to not raise rates, this and that, but I'm only one vote," West said about residents fronting costs after this water emergency. "But we haven't even discussed that since I've been a board member. I'm hoping it doesn't impact the community."
The local school district canceled classes at one point due to the water outage and residents were already voicing concerns over high water bills this past year in Mapleton, reported KCYB.
