Fully restored service planned for Tues. in Ruidoso

February 15, 2011

crews and the national guard in ruidoso... some people there have been without water for more than a week... after pipes burst in below-zero temperatures. our joe bartels went along as crews assessed damage, and helped people get their water service restored. he's live in roswell with the latest information. minute thumbnail 06:30 pm joe? i just off phone with the village manager in ruidoso--- she told me about 60 percent of the homes in the affected upper canyon area now have running water. 125 national guard troops will be working through the night to turn on running water to everyone else who still needs it. we were able to ride along with troops as the fanned out into the upper canyon area of ruidoso. about 1400 homes were without water service... half of those were empty vacation homes. the mayor says with the help of the national guard-- restoring water service is ahead of schedule. "we needed to get water to the people and this way, in talking with our technical people, they say were at least 8 hours ahead of getting water restored and that can go back and forth but it was critical to have them here because that enabled out people to do what they do." ruidoso officials tell me they hope to have water completely restored to the upper canyon by noon tomorrow.