Woodstock residents and businesses are still without drinking water one week after the storm. The private company in charge of the water, Woodstock Aqueduct Company, is working with the state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to restore it. “I think for everyone, it’s been a long week,” said Eric Duffy, the municipal manager for Woodstock. “We’re now in the second week of this from the storm. I think, for the most part, people are pretty understanding of what’s going on and supporting each other. There are residents that are using their own wells and helping neighbors get clean water.”The popular year-round tourist destination has been without a reliable water supply system for days. It shut down businesses like Mon Vert Café. The Woodstock Inn and Resort was closed. They canceled events like weddings and people’s stays until at least next Monday. It will cost the region time and money during the valuable summer tourist season. “It’s been difficult. Shades of Irene,” said Jeffery Kahn, the owner of Unicorn. “Mostly because downtown Woodstock is gorgeous. It just seems unaffected. However, we don’t have potable water, so the restaurants are closed. Most of the lodging is closed until the potable water comes back.”Even if businesses aren’t closed, they said they will feel the effects of those who are. “Our retail shops have definitely been impacted greatly,” said Kimberly Smith, the owner of Woodstock Scoops. “Especially the weddings at the Woodstock Inn this weekend. We lost a big wedding. That’s hard. Those are our customers that come to town on weekends.”On Monday, the Vermont Army National Guard brought in pipe to fix the water main that broke under the Ottauquechee River.“We’re at a place where through the state’s help, we have new piping coming in,” Duffy said. “At which point we do some testing. Ideally, by Wednesday. Thursday at the latest, we should have clean water again for all of Woodstock.”This new plastic pipe will be a more reliable temporary fix. Until then, they are going to continue using a fire hose to connect two fire hydrants, with bottled water still available at the firehouse.
Woodstock residents and businesses are still without drinking water one week after the storm.
The private company in charge of the water, Woodstock Aqueduct Company, is working with the state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to restore it.
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“I think for everyone, it’s been a long week,” said Eric Duffy, the municipal manager for Woodstock. “We’re now in the second week of this from the storm. I think, for the most part, people are pretty understanding of what’s going on and supporting each other. There are residents that are using their own wells and helping neighbors get clean water.”
The popular year-round tourist destination has been without a reliable water supply system for days. It shut down businesses like Mon Vert Café.
The Woodstock Inn and Resort was closed. They canceled events like weddings and people’s stays until at least next Monday.
It will cost the region time and money during the valuable summer tourist season.
“It’s been difficult. Shades of Irene,” said Jeffery Kahn, the owner of Unicorn. “Mostly because downtown Woodstock is gorgeous. It just seems unaffected. However, we don’t have potable water, so the restaurants are closed. Most of the lodging is closed until the potable water comes back.”
Even if businesses aren’t closed, they said they will feel the effects of those who are.
“Our retail shops have definitely been impacted greatly,” said Kimberly Smith, the owner of Woodstock Scoops. “Especially the weddings at the Woodstock Inn this weekend. We lost a big wedding. That’s hard. Those are our customers that come to town on weekends.”
On Monday, the Vermont Army National Guard brought in pipe to fix the water main that broke under the Ottauquechee River.
“We’re at a place where through the state’s help, we have new piping coming in,” Duffy said. “At which point we do some testing. Ideally, by Wednesday. Thursday at the latest, we should have clean water again for all of Woodstock.”
This new plastic pipe will be a more reliable temporary fix. Until then, they are going to continue using a fire hose to connect two fire hydrants, with bottled water still available at the firehouse.
