Homes in Pryor were without water on the Crow Reservation Thursday.
Power to the pumphouse that pressurizes water in Pryor was shut off yesterday. Cedric Black Eagle with the Crow Tribe Water Resources Department says that was due to unpaid bills.
“It seems like Pryor and Wyola generally are behind - the finance department is behind on paying invoices,” said Black Eagle. “Well, in this case in Pryor, the invoice was one month behind, which led to a shut off by Yellowstone County Electric.”
He said the Crow Tribe paid the bill Thursday and the electric company has since restored power to the pumphouse, but contamination may still make tap water unsafe.
The Tribe advises residents to boil water for three minutes to kill any remaining contaminants.
The water department will lift the boil order after tests determine the water is safe to drink.
It’s not the first time the Crow tribe has had water issues. In March, several water lines broke due to freezing temperatures.
