The Town of Mancos said in a post on facebook Sunday night its water system is making progress after historic flooding last week overwhelmed the treatment plant with sediment and debris. The town also reported that storage tanks had been partially refilled and were at about 45% capacity.
Raw-water turbidity, a measure of particles in water that make it cloudy, has fallen from a peak of 80 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU) to about 14 NTU, according to the town. The treatment plant is designed to operate when turbidity is below 10 NTU. The town says its filters are now running longer between cleaning cycles, allowing for more consistent water production.
The town plans to flush water mains over the next several days. Next, it will collect bacteriological samples from multiple points in the system, including storage tanks. Lab testing is expected to take about 24 hours after samples are submitted.
The boil water advisory will remain in effect until the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment authorizes the town to lift it. Town water customers should continue to follow the advisory: use bottled water or bring tap water to a rolling boil for three minutes before drinking it, cooking, brushing teeth, washing produce or making ice.
Mancos Rural Water serves a separate system and has its own boil water order. Their service area includes the Mancos Valley outside of town. The company says crews have repaired one leak and are working on three river-crossing breaks. Its website also says a mainline shutdown near Riverbend is planned and could affect most customers, but the notice does not give a specific timeframe. Potable water is available daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Mancos Brewing Company.
A special meeting will be held at the Mancos Town Hall Board Room on Tuesday, November 10th at 6 p.m. that will address the ongoing emergency response to the impacts of flooding on the water system.
