KEMP, TEXAS, August 8 (ABC) – Water conservation has been turned up a notch in one North Texas community: The water has been cut off. Kemp Mayor Donald Kile says water was turned off to residents Sunday for 48 hours. KDFW-TV in Dallas-Fort Worth reports that two weeks ago, excessive heat caused the soil to shift, and the aging underground water pipes burst. About 2 million gallons of water leaked out. The city never caught up with the demand during the oppressive Texas heat wave and shut off the water to residents for two days to replenish its two water towers (http://bit.ly/pWJQpY). Meanwhile, the city is handing out bottled water, providing non-potable water to residents to flush toilets and conduct other chores. Kemp, a town of about 1,150 people, is about 50 miles southeast of Dallas.

Water turned off in North Texas town to conserve

By Brandy Davis
8 August 2011 Kemp, Texas has run out of water. Not good with record-setting high temps of over 100 degrees each day in northern Texas. Kemp is in Kaufman County, approximately 54 miles southeast of Dallas, TX. Problems arose for multiple reasons. First, there is the severe heat; second, the lack of rain leading to a huge rain deficit; and third, a pipe catastrophe. The majority of the problems started two weeks ago, when the extreme heat dried out the soil creating a shift underground. The shift causes the water pipes below the ground to burst. These pipes had been in place since the early twentieth century, and this had never happened before. Sadly, an estimated two million gallons of precious water were lost for good. The city had been begging residents to conserve water. The hard decision was made to shut off water starting Sunday August 7th, 2011 at noon, and leave it off for forty-eight hours. The city is out of water, and there was just not enough to go around. Thankfully, bottled water is being given to the eleven hundred residents. After the two-day shut off, the city’s twin water towers should be able to keep up with demands. The shut off is allowing the water towers to be refilled. Residents will still be asked to conserve, but at least they can do laundry and wash dishes. What’s the lesson to be learned? Droughts are serious enough, but add in a catastrophe and a town can be left without water. Thankfully, this was an isolated incident. Hopefully the ground is done shifting, and other Texas cities will not be experiencing the same problem.

Kemp, Texas Runs Out Of Water