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DALLAS COUNTY, Iowa —
Update: The power has been restored to the water plant, officials say. They say the water tower is filling, but it will take some time.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says all households should do a five-minute flush of their water before using any. The city of Dexter will also be under a boil advisory for the rest of the night.
Officials say normal water usage should be able to resume by 7 a.m. Thursday.
Previous reporting
The city of Dexter is grappling with a water shortage after a power outage at its water plant left the community relying solely on the water stored in its tower. Dexter City Councilman TJ Morehouse emphasized the urgency of the situation, asking residents to conserve water.
"We lost power last night at our water plant," Morehouse explained. He added, "[We are] asking people to try to refrain from showers and baths for a day or a few hours—refrain from any laundry, things like that."
The city's usual backup plan, the Xenia Rural Water District, also suffered power outages, which leaves Dexter with no immediate solution if the water supply runs out before power is restored.
Iowa weather: Recapping Wednesday's blizzard
"If we run out of water, we're going to have to come up with some kind of backup plan," Morehouse said. "There's only so much water in that water tower, and we usually go through a little bit over each day—about 10-15 thousand gallons more than what that water tower will hold."
Watch: Blizzard causes power outages across central Iowa
In the neighboring town of Redfield, about two-thirds of the city lost power as strong winds uprooted trees and damaged power lines. Residents are facing challenges as they navigate the aftermath of the storm.
"I woke up about 5—it was maybe 60 in the house," said Dan Mayer, who is staying home despite the lack of power.
Travel has also been difficult around Dallas County, with Interstate 80 impassable for much of the morning and early afternoon, and Highway 6 proving hazardous.
For some, the situation is less dire. Redfield resident Sam Guzzi, who never lost electricity, is already working to clear the snow and ice. "It was blowing—you couldn't see anything," Guzzi said, recalling the storm. "Thought I better [clear the snow] before it freezes again tonight."
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