March 23rd Update:
Tap water returns to Warm Springs but with boil water notice
WARM SPRINGS, Ore. (AP) — After several days, water service on the Warm Springs reservation in north central Oregon is resuming, although with an indefinite boil water notice. Oregon Public Broadcasting reports community radio station KWSO announced that repairs on a damaged electrical transformer at the water treatment plant finished Tuesday, allowing the Agency Water System to resume distribution. When a fire was found in the transformer Friday, officials and residents were concerned the damage could lead to an extended water outage but the damage was not as extensive as initially thought. Warm Springs is offering bottled water at the emergency management office until the boil water notice lifts, which is likely to be sometime next week.
March 20th:
WARM SPRINGS, Ore. (AP) — Longtime issues with an aging water system on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation have gotten worse with an emergency water conservation notice issued after an underground fire shut the tribes’ water treatment plant. KTVZ-TV reports the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs asked residents starting on Friday to limit water use to essential needs only. The Facebook post says it affects all users in the Agency Area, Upper Dry Creek, Sunnyside, Wolfe Point and Kah-Nee-Ta Hamlets. Tribal Emergency Manager Dan Martinez says the water treatment plant could be shuttered from a week to two months and that the reservation is seeking water donations.