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As customers of Jefferson City Utility as well as New Market and Shady Grove utilities desperately wait for water, another Lakeway Area utility is experiencing water issues.

Thursday morning, the Hawkins County Emergency Management announced that the Mooresburg Utility District in is  out of water. The district said that they were seeing a “major leak” due to weather, which was draining their tank.

In a related incident, Bean Station Utility District, an agency from which Mooresburg usually purchases water, was also experiencing a leak that was draining its tank.

No timeframe was available for when this issue would be resolved.

Hawkins County Emergency Management Agency Director Jamie Miller was helping to coordinate efforts to get water donated to the utility.

Miller said that those interested in donating water may contact the utility at 423-923-1910. The utility is located at 810 Old U.S. Highway 11W in Mooresburg.

Additionally, East Rogersville Baptist Church has made its community center available for showering. The facility is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

At this time, MUD has cases of water to distribute for drinking use. The water may be picked up at office or at S&J Produce. Limit two cases per person.

 Cocke County Pays It Forward

As Jefferson County did when it donated water to Cocke County following Hurricane Helene, Cocke County is returning the favor and donating this water back to Jefferson County.

“There are people without water,” Cocke County Mayor Rob Mathis said. “We have a strategic reserve that is surplus from the floods. We’re going to help our neighbors in Jefferson County”

Cocke County sent 20 pallets of water to Jefferson County from those reserves.

“It’s important to note that Jefferson County came through big time for us then,” Mathis said. “They brought water in tankers to keep our hospital in operation for two weeks 24-7 until the water came back on. We’re so happy to be able to help them.”

Mathis said that this water donation won’t solve Jefferson County’s problem, but it will be a help to them.

Cocke County EMA Director Joseph Esway agreed, saying that nobody from Cocke County “hides from a fight.”

“When we call for help, they show up,” Esway said. “We had about 35 emergency responders who were here within a 20-minute notice to help load these trailers and send this to our neighbors in Jefferson County.”

While some may be saying that the county is giving its water away, Esway made it clear that this water was donated to the county by Jefferson  and it was going back to where it came from.

Also, all of the Cocke County Volunteer Fire Departments and Newport Fire Department have water pre-staged in the event of emergency or natural disasters.

“They are ready to disperse at a moment’s notice during a disaster,” Esway said. “Nobody in Cocke County is being affected by this.”

Mathis said that God gave that water to Cocke County and now it is being used to help their neighbors.

“This is exactly such an emergency why we kept these strategic reserves on hand,” Mathis said. “God will provide.”