(Updated 3:15-p.m., 7/4/21) – Shelby County Emergency Management officials, Sunday (today), said distribution of water to residents of Corley will begin at 11-a.m. Monday. Officials say Saturday, “Regional Water is continuing to pump water into the water towers. All customers with accounts beginning with A, C, CO, W, T, K, or P are affected. Water conservation is imperative for all people in the effected area.” Also, “a boil order will remain in effect until further notice.” A water outage currently affects all customers West of Highway 59. This includes the towns of Earling, Westphalia, Panama, Portsmouth, Tennant, and parts of Kirkman.

Shelby County is also under a burn ban until further notice, for all open burning. The only exclusions to this are fireworks and any fires at a camp site that are monitored, and these must be put out before going to sleep at the end of the night. Authorities are meeting daily to discuss conditions and the ban will be lifted once conditions improve.

Fire departments handed out water throughout the day, Saturday, to communities affected by the situation, which was created when the Regional Water Rural Water Association had a fire at a pumping station near Avoca Friday morning. The fire impacted their ability to serve some of their customers. If anyone in the affected area needs water, please contact your local fire department.