MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis was in its fourth day of a boil water notice Monday as repair crews worked to fix broken pipes in hopes of easing the stress caused by a week of subzero temperatures, snow and ice in this southern city.
Memphis’ water utility issued an advisory Friday that residents of this city of more than 600,000 should boil the water they plan to use for drinking, brushing their teeth and preparing food. That’s because low pressure in the system and breaks in the water pipe can allow harmful bacteria to contaminate the water supply.
Some residents have lost all water supplies after winter storms that caused at least 75 deaths across the U.S. this month, many involving hypothermia or traffic accidents. In Tennessee, several inches of snow and unusually low temperatures prompted the Tennessee Valley Authority to ask the 10 million people in its service area to conserve energy to avoid rolling power outages. The utility saw its highest ever electricity demand last week, but the system remained stable.
Memphis Light, Gas and Water CEO Doug McGowen told reporters Sunday afternoon that crews were making progress on repairs and he expects water service to be restored to most customers by Monday and Tuesday. However, they will still have to boil water, likely through Thursday.
Pamela Wells had been without water since Thursday morning when a trickle came through Sunday evening.
“We kept praying that this was a sign that water was coming,” she said. They woke up Monday morning to find the water pressure had been restored to about 40% of normal. “Hopefully we are on the path to full recovery of our water.”
Family and friends have helped them by delivering bottled water, she said, but she really missed things she normally takes for granted, like the ability to wash her hands in the sink or shower.
As Memphis continued to thaw, McGowen also asked people to stop dripping from their taps and resist the temptation to wash their cars to build up pressure in the system. The city has repaired at least 51 water main breaks and identified more than 4,000 leaks at homes and businesses.
Memphis was the largest, but not the only, water system in Tennessee to experience problems due to the unusually cold weather. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said Sunday evening that 28 water systems were under boil water notices and 17 counties reported operational issues with their water utilities.
In Tipton County, the Mason Fire Department warned residents Sunday to be prepared for a multi-day water outage.
“There is currently no timetable for how long it will take for water services to be fully restored to all customers,” fire officials said in a Facebook post.
The outages and boil water notices prompted residents across West Tennessee to clear out bottled water supplies in stores. There were also long lines for bottled water giveaways by local governments and churches.
As Memphis warmed and shuttered businesses and government buildings began to reopen, freezing rain fell in Arkansas and Missouri, leading to fatal accidents and concerns about possible power outages.
Forecasters warned that parts of the area could be covered in up to 1.27 centimeters of ice by Monday evening. That led to an ice storm warning for Monday that included much of the Arkansas Ozark Mountains and the cities of Fayetteville and Fort Smith. A small portion of northeastern Oklahoma was also warned of an ice storm on Monday, the National Weather Service said.
The ice — combined with winds of up to 20 miles per hour — could lead to power outages, the agency said.
Three fatalities were reported in Missouri Monday morning as freezing drizzle in some places and a thin layer of ice in others covered much of the state. Captain John Hotz of the Missouri State Highway Patrol said a fatal crash involved a Missouri Department of Transportation truck, but further details were not immediately released. Twenty others were injured in crashes statewide. Most of those involved were cars, trucks and semi-trailers skidding on the ice.
“Just a lot of slide-offs,” said Dallas Thompson, a soldier from the St. Louis area.
Meanwhile, heavy rain in Southern California prompted the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management to issue an evacuation warning through Tuesday morning near Topanga Canyon due to possible mud or debris flows.
The National Weather Service’s Los Angeles office said the foothills of the area could see rain of up to 1.2 inches and as much as 2.3 inches possible through Monday evening.
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Jim Salter in O’Fallon, Missouri, and Jeff Martin in Atlanta contributed to this report.