Hobart, OK – Hobart remains under a water emergency after a breakdown at the Foss water treatment plant cut off the city’s primary water supply.

City Manager Stacie Kaye said officials learned of the malfunction several days ago and the broken part was sent to a machine shop for repairs. Once repairs are completed, the plant must be restarted and water tower levels allowed to recover.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the Foss plant remained offline and Hobart’s water towers had reached critical levels. The city remains under a precautionary boil advisory in accordance with Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality guidance.

Free drinking water is available at the Hobart Fire Station on East Third Street from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Residents may receive one case of bottled water per address by showing a Hobart ID or utility bill. Potable water is also available from a tanker for residents who bring a one-gallon container. Non-potable water for flushing toilets is available just north of the Hobart Police Department.

Fire Chief Devin Humphrey said fire hydrants are currently unavailable, forcing firefighters to rely on mutual-aid tankers. Residents are being asked to avoid outdoor grilling and other activities that could spark a fire during the ongoing drought.

Hobart Public Schools were closed Wednesday because of the water outage. Walmart also donated 19 pallets of bottled water to help provide additional supplies for residents.

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