Water emergency in Bartlett

The city of Bartlett is having a water emergency.

Bell County Judge Burrows declared the emergency, according to a city release, after the main and back-up pumps failed on Wednesday.

"We're surviving," says Chad Mees, who was less than thrilled about Bartlett's hot weather amidst the water problems. "I guess living in a small town you get used to things like this," he says.

Mees is one of the cities more than twenty-seven hundred residents who don't have drinking water.

"Of course it's frustrating when you lose drinking water, it's very hard to but we're making do," Mees adds.

Everyone is in overdrive to pitch in.

The Bell County Fire Marshall had water brought in for distribution. One case per family a day until the problem is fixed. The Police department is handing the water out at Bartlett ISD, starting at 1pm daily. The Bartlett and Holland fire departments are handing out non-potable water in the high school football stadium's parking lot, from 6pm-9pm daily also.

Bartlett ISD' Superintendent Brett Springston is helping get the word out, "We have a message center that we're able to send instant notifications to our parents," he explains, "and because of that i can do notifications for the city and it keeps us in line with what we need to do."

Mees is appreciative for all of the help, "the city is taking good care of us," he says, "doing what they can, as far as we know. The neighboring cities are helping out a lot."

Bartlett's former mayor, Bruce Swope picked up his case of water on Thursday. Residents can't shower, so he's headed to the place he owns in another town, "I stink! I need a shower!"

He is looking forward to the pumps getting back up and running in a day or so, but he says he this was something that no one could control, "mechanical devices they have moving parts and they break and wear out and fail."

He had a similar problem when he was in office, "we had a water well issue when I was mayor but we only lost one pump, not both pumps and that's the big difference."

Mees says he's a pretty patient guy, but everyone has a limit, "it's a challenge definitely a challenge, I'm not going to lie," he says. He has three small kids, and he says, fixing the pumps may not come soon enough, "I'm headed out of town, I'm going to get a hotel."