How does a town of 10,000 manage for a week without potable tap water and for what might be days without any water at all?
In Alamosa, folks cope.
Carla Archuleta’s family has filled up the tanks on the RV in the backyard — and they shower in it.
They also borrowed a 300-gallon water tank and parked it in the driveway.
“Laundry is the big frustration,” Archuleta said.
The San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center is sending its laundry to the town of Monte Vista.
A 3,000-gallon tanker truck is parked in the hospital parking lot.
“And we have waterless hygiene kits,” said Kathy Rogers, who is a hospital vice president as well as Alamosa’s mayor pro tem. “We’re resilient.”
Cavillo’s Mexican Restaurant, one of the biggest and busiest eateries in town, has seen a 90 percent drop in patronage this past week, said manager Jose Lopez.
Still, the restaurant has been hauling water for cooking, Lopez said.
Today, when Cavillo’s probably will receive the red safety notice telling it not to use water for washing dishes, Lopez says he will switch to paper plates.
Paper plates, cups and flatware are flying off market shelves, along with hand sanitizer, bottled water and soda, said City Market store manager Steve Valdez.
The store knocked $4 off the price of a 24-pack of bottled water, and cashiers are handing out 40,000 free canisters of disinfecting wipes to customers.
“We’re all in this together,” Valdez said.
Electa Draper: 303-954-1276 or edraper@denverpost.com
