BELLMEAD, Texas — An electrical malfunction on a water pump down Research Avenue is limiting Bellmead's water supply. This comes as the city is already running a little low.
"We have no excess water. We haven't had any rainfall, so we've got drought conditions," City Manager Yost Zakhary told 25 News. "If this would've happened in the middle of January, people aren't using that much water. But how many 100-degree days have we had? We're in the middle of this and then all of a sudden we lose a well."
With one well down, the city is implementing restrictions. No outside water usage will be permitted, car wash business hours are limited to 10 a.m. through 2 p.m., the splash pad is closed until further notice, and people are asked to not use major appliances until after 7 p.m.
"We want to make sure businesses that rely on water, the hotels or medical facilities that operate during the day, we want to make sure they have the water they need to operate those essential services," Zakhary said. "For some people, it's a matter of life and death."
As of Thursday, the city is requesting voluntary compliance, but several businesses in the area told 25 News they don't plan to make any changes.
"If we don't get voluntary compliance, then we have to go to mandatory compliance and the last thing we want to do is starting writing tickets and fining people, but that's not our goal," Zakhary said.
The city said they are working hard to get that well fixed as soon as possible. They don't expect restrictions to last more than 48 to 72 hours.
