Manitou water crisis hits local restaurants, disrupts daily life
MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – A critical water supply emergency in Manitou Springs has shut down schools and forced major lifestyle changes, not only for residents but also for local businesses that rely heavily on water.
From the outside, most restaurants in Manitou Springs looked business-as-usual on Monday. But inside, managers and staff were scrambling to adapt.
They're facing strict water usage restrictions after the city declared an emergency due to elevated turbidity levels; a condition caused by rapidly moving water stirring up sediment, making it harder to treat and store clean water.
Manitou Springs Mayor John Graham tells KRDO13 restaurants have been told to conserve water in every way possible.
"This hits restaurants kind of hard," Graham said. "We’re asking that they not serve water by default unless customers ask for it."
Dishwashing has also been cut back to reduce usage.
City officials stress that the treated water remains safe to drink and meets Colorado health standards, but the volume is critically low.
Crews are working on multiple fronts: repairing the city’s backup water system and monitoring the primary source. Officials say they are doing all they can to maintain a minimal supply of drinking water and prevent total system failure.
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