BARTLETT, Texas (AP) - A drop in the Bartlett water supply has led the city to restrict nonessential usage and prompted a state jail to limit inmate showers.
The cause of the dwindling water supply in Bartlett, a town of about 1,700 located 45 miles northeast of Austin, is sought.
Bartlett Mayor Arthur White told the Temple Daily Telegram that authorities want to know if a pump is clogged. Drought concerns also have been raised.
Engineer Sherrel Mercer noticed dropping levels while his Mercer Controls was building a temporary water bypass for Bartlett to have its ground storage tank painted.
Warden Ed Carmona has trimmed the inmate shower schedule at the Bartlett State Jail. Menus now include more sandwiches and less water-dependent foods.
The lockup has emergency plans for portable water and toilets.
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Information from: Temple Daily Telegram, http://www.temple-telegram.com
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
