Photo: Courtesy Stone County Leader
A National Guard water tank is providing water for residents of Fifty Six in Stone County, after the town’s water supply was depleted.
The National Guard plans to start hauling water to be transferred into a tank positioned near city hall this weekend, according to Mayor Earnestine McDaniel. The Guard is expected to transfer 6,000-8,000 gallons of water per day.
The Stone County Leader reports in addition, bottled water is being provided through various sources for elderly residents in need, and when it is available, the city will begin calling residents who may qualify.
Anyone who needs assistance with water is asked to call city hall at 870-757-2225 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. or the mayor after hours at 870-757-2539.
In an earlier report, the Stone County newspaper says the water tank provided by the Arkansas National Guard unit in Jonesboro was set in place last Friday to provide drinking water to residents during the critical shortage. The city pump has not been able to produce an adequate supply for weeks, and residents are asked to conserve.
Mayor McDaniel says some residents have been taking advantage of the supply, while others have found tanks that can be hauled in pickup trucks, and they are filling them elsewhere.
With less than 1,000 gallons remaining in storage as of Monday, “Every little bit helps,” she says. “They will never be able to transfer enough to serve the city’s needs, and it’s still critically important for residents to conserve water,” the mayor says.
The town of Fifty Six had a total population of 173 at the time of the 2010 census.
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