HURLOCK, Md. — Hurlock officials are asking neighbors to voluntarily conserve water after the town’s shallow well was taken out of service for repairs.
Officials say debris and small pebbles got into the well’s pump, leading crews to remove it and begin inspecting the entire system before it is returned to service.
Leaders say the town's deep well remains fully operational and is able to meet normal water demand, meaning there are no mandatory water restrictions at this time. Officials say the work is focused on making sure all components of the pumping system are functioning properly before the shallow well is brought back online.
Rockne Foss, who lives in Hurlock, says he hopes the system is repaired quickly and that leaders stay ahead of potential issues.
“I hope that they repair that pump really quickly, take the measurements and then maintain a, you know, vigilance on it to make sure that, you know, we don't end up in a situation where we have to go through mandatory restrictions,” Foss said.
Foss says he has already started cutting back on water use since hearing about the issue.
“...when I heard that, myself and my neighbors, you know, more or less stopped using our, our sprinklers, backed off a little bit," Foss said. "Because water is important. You can't live without it."
Alvin Hutton says the situation does not overly concern him, but believes neighbors should follow the town’s request to conserve.
“If they're suggesting something that we should do as a community as a whole, I feel that we should do that because they're looking out for the best interests of the community,” Hutton said.
Mayor Earl Murphy says crews are reviewing the entire system to ensure everything is operating as it should.
“We have two wells that service the town,” Murphy told WBOC. “When one goes down, we want to make sure we're looking at every opportunity to be cautious about how we're using our water.”
Officials say the shallow well is expected to remain out of service for a few weeks while work continues. During that time, neighbors are being asked to conserve water where possible as a precaution while the system is addressed.
