SHENANDOAH -- Borough leaders declared a disaster emergency Friday because of the number of frozen water lines in the municipality.
Municipal officials said because of the number of frozen water lines, the 'small number of work crews' and 'financial difficulties,' the declaration was necessary.
"It's horrible. It's been dreadful the whole winter. I'm one of the fortunate ones that has some water. I just let my water go. You just have to," said Linda Shoup of Shenandoah, who has neighbors without water.
"You fix one and another one is breaking. You don't have the manpower and so forth. This is one of the worst winters I've experienced in many, many years," said Jim Rusin, who lives in the borough.
Laverle Alinsky lost her water more than a week ago.
She called the borough but said she was told she had to hire a plumber herself.
She did, and for $275, she had water from her neighbor's home routed into hers.
Her water pipes are still frozen.
"I know there are houses down the street for I'd say two weeks, two or three weeks that do not have water and they've had plumbers come in to trying and they can't get open," said Alinsky from her Shenandoah home.
In a statement, Shenandoah borough leaders said the declaration of disaster emergency will allow them to "...move forward without regard to those time-consuming procedures and formalities prescribed by law."
"I think it's a good idea. Any help that people can get it a good thing, you know?" said Scott Shoup.
