Homes, businesses and schools in Gatesville and the surrounding community are without water service after a power outage at the Gatesville Regional Water Intake Structure at Lake Belton, but relief may come sooner than expected.

Officials had believed it would take several days to restore service, but Gatesville City Manager Roger Mumby said a generator that would provide temporary power to the intake station would arrive this evening around 5 p.m. Electricians would need one or two hours to set up the generator, he said, but water would soon be able to reach the city’s water treatment plant, meaning service could be restored by Tuesday.

When water service is restored, residents in Gatesville, North Fort Hood, Fort Gates, The Grove , The Flat and the Coryell City Water District and Mountain Water Supply areas will likely be under boil orders.

Meanwhile, area grocery stores say they are receiving additional shipments of bottled water in order to meet demand until the crisis is over.

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