Residents of Asher, Oklahoma are being warned to start stocking up on water now, with town officials saying low or no water pressure could hit the community for up to two weeks beginning Nov. 30. The disruption stems from planned repairs to the Atoka waterline that feeds the Macomb Water plant, and officials are urging households to conserve and ration what they have while the work is underway.
According to KFOR, the Atoka waterline supplying the Macomb plant will be shut down so crews can make repairs, and the town has asked residents to conserve and ration water for the duration. The Town of Asher has not given an exact timeline for when normal water service will be restored, according to News 9.
Where to Find Water During the Shutdown
To help residents get through the outage, the town plans to place unmanned water trailers around the area where customers can fill their own containers with non-potable water, the station's report notes — though the specific locations have not yet been determined. Customers will need to bring their own containers, and water drawn from the trailers is non-potable and unsafe to drink, per News 9's reporting.
For drinking water, bottled water and gallon-sized containers will be available at the Macomb water plant, located at 31500 Coker Road in Macomb, the same report states. Residents with questions about the shutdown can reach the Town of Asher at 405-784-2242.
A Similar Shutdown Looms South of Tecumseh
Asher's situation mirrors a separate, larger repair effort also tied to the Atoka Pipeline. As reported by OKC Fox, the Atoka Pipeline is set to shut down for 14 days starting Nov. 30 so crews can repair leaks, a timeline that lines up with Asher's own warning. That closure is expected to affect Rural Water District No. 3's primary water supply for its southern service area, which includes communities south of Tecumseh, and RWD3 has said some of its customers may see reduced pressure or temporary service interruptions as a result.
In that service area, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation has said it is gathering alternative water sources, including bottled water, water jugs, and emergency resources, for customers who could be affected. The tribal nation said it does not anticipate a boil-water advisory and will share distribution locations once details are finalized, according to OKC Fox's reporting. It's unclear whether Asher's utility customers will see similar coordinated distribution plans beyond the Macomb plant and the planned trailers.
For now, Asher residents have about three weeks to prepare before the Nov. 30 shutdown begins. Town officials are encouraging households to conserve water ahead of time and keep an eye out for updates on where the unmanned trailers will be set up once those locations are finalized.
