UPDATE: 8:35 p.m., Monday, Dec. 21 -  Power crews and local officials are working together to restore power to water treatment plants. In the meantime, many customers remain without potable drinking water. According to County Administrator Shannon Scott, customers in Pound and portions of Wise, Coeburn and St. Paul.

Local officials plan to give out water at the Norton WalMart Shopping Center at 8 a.m. Tuesday. Water will be distributed for free, one gallon per member of your household.

When power is restored to county public service authority pump stations and the Carfax treatment plant, the county can pump water along interconnections between towns to restore water service. That should occur by Tuesday morning, Scott said.

In the meantime, all customers, especially those on Coeburn and Wise County PSA water,  are being asked to conserve water until further notice. Coeburn Town Manager Loretta Mays issued a notice today that all Coeburn customers should boil all water for consumption until further notice. Norton’s water system is working, as all pump stations and the city treatment plant have backup power, city officials clarified Monday morning. No official conservation notice has been issued in the city, nor do city residents need to boil water.

The City of Norton and Wise County have declared a state of emergency due the severe winter weather and resulting power disruptions.

As of this morning, about 12,000 Old Dominion Power customers in Wise County were without electricity. About 3,200 Appalachian Electric Power customers still had no power.

As part of emergency response efforts, Norton has opened an emergency evacuation shelter for those who need somewhere to stay. The shelter is located at the Hotel Norton at 798 Park Avenue across from the Shamrock station, also known as Pop-In. Multiple other shelters are open across the county, and will stay open as long as they are needed, according to county emergency personnel.

Citizens are encouraged to check on their neighbors and assist authorities in identifying those in need of assistance.

Call 679-1211 or 328-3566 to contact authorities for more information or help.