Bolivar Water Utilities District: 'Getting Water Flowing'

Families traveling to the Bolivar Peninsula to repair their homes are sharing the road with utility workers, trying to repair damage to the water system.

The help is coming from Southeast Texas and across the state.

While drivers file across Rollover Pass, utility workers are moving right along, trying to get people reconnected.

"Capping off streets that no longer exist. Water lines are now in the gulf, so we're getting all those capped off," says Jennifer McKnight, the General Manager of the Bolivar Peninsula Special Utilities District.

The Bolivar Peninsula Special Utility District is working to find leaks and covering pipe lines that were exposed during the storm.

But they're not doing it alone. The Texas Rural Water Association has sent in workers to lend a hand.

"They sent a group from Jonah SUD and Hutto, now one is from Green Valley SUD," says McKnight.

McKnight says she usually has about 8 field workers, and with the addition of these men, she's almost doubled the utility's size and productivity in the last week.

"It's incredible the work we've been able to do with just that extra help," says McKnight.

Even that extra help can't fix all the problems, like getting the water flowing again to Crystal Beach.

"We'll put temporary lines across and at that point, we should be ready to get water to at least all the people on the bay side," says McKnight.

Although it will take longer to repair lines on the beach side, McKnight says they are looking to prioritize which subdivisions will get their water first. It'll be based on how many homes are still live-able.

But, she says they're not just moving dirt with the repairs, the end is in sight.

McKnight says in the future, the Special Utility District might have to consider placing a line underwater at Rollover Pass.