In-town residents were without water for most of the day Monday as contractors worked on replacing three main water valves at the intersection of U.S. Highway 160 and Colorado 184, as part of the $1.1 million overhaul of Mancos' water infrastructure.
The ambitious, $1.1 million Water System Improvement project is to make the Mancos water treatment and distribution system stronger, and includes the addition of a second 430,000-gallon water storage tank, replacement of old water main valves, improvements to the water treatment plant and pump house, and the addition of new water distribution lines to feed other areas of town.
It is funded trough loans, grants and local funds.
Most in-town businesses were closed Monday, aside from a few that braved the waterless day.
One of those remaining open was the Mesa Verde Motel, which had out-of-town guests booking reservations in advance of the water shutoff.
Owner Barbara Henderson said she and staff were "taking it in stride" and staying open.
"We didn't know about the water situation until Friday. I was full until yesterday, but when I told them the water was going off most left," she said. "So we're putting bottled water in all of the rooms, and I'm schlepping laundry to my house."
Her business and many others were forced to close down during the nine-day water crisis in February 2014, so this one day isn't too bad in comparison, she said.
Town administrator Andrea Phillips said the work on the entire Water Systems Improvement project started in the spring, which included the construction of the second now-completed storage tank.
The remaining valve replacements, extension of line under U.S. 160, and crossing at Colorado 184 should be done by mid-October.
