The Lewiston city council passed a Declaration of Local Disaster Emergency on Monday — less than a week after a reservoir rupture caused more than 3 million gallons of water to escape, and force thousands of residents to boil water.
The action is one of the steps involved in obtaining help from the Idaho Office of Emergency Management.
The Lewiston Public Works Department is working to shift water from another reservoir to the affected area while maintaining water pressure for households and fire suppression.
Questions remain as to how the system will respond to the reservoir being taken offline as the flow of water with be significantly modified from how it has traditionally operated. The department is working with the Idaho Department of Quality during the process to provide safe drinking water for the affected area.
Officials will continue to monitor how the system responds over the next few days, which requires the boil order to remain in effect in the areas impacted by the reservoir failure.
Clean drinking water is available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Wednesday at the Lewiston Community Center at 1424 Main St., in Lewiston.
