Town Manager Phil Swanson looks over road damage map with Village Trustees Candace Coburn and Eric Nesbitt
This just in at 10:38am: Have heard that West Woodstock has water! It’s been turned back on. Excellent News!
Woodstock Emergency Services and the Town of Woodstock are creating a plan to provide bathrooms and drinking water for those without water in Woodstock Village. Tropical Storm Irene took out a water main and residents have been without water pressure since late Sunday.
Emergency officials , including Emgency Services Direcotor and Fire Chief L.D. Sutherland, Jr. met with the Town Manager Phil Swanson and Village Trustees just an hour ago (10am) to review local damage and to start preparations for providing “services” to Villagers:
1. Port-a-Potties are being brought in and placed on the Village Green.
2. Drinking water is available NOW at the Town Garage. However that drinking is located in West Woodstock. That’s obviously not easy to get to for many.
3. Authorities are figuring out a way to get drinking water to a more accessible location in town either at the Town Hall or another convenient location.
4. The Town of Woodstock is actually not “in control” of the water situation as it is handled by the private for-profit organization known as Woodstock Aqueduct. Town Manager Phil Swanson says the Town is working with Woodstock Aqueduct to resolve the water issues, track down the break and restore water services.
However, it sounds as if it may be a LOONG few days ahead.
Other items of note:
A Woodstock Trustee informs us that the Woodstock Inn is sending guests home. Without water and with a flooded basement (which is where much of the “guts” of the hotel operation is located), the Inn cannot provide service to its current occupants.
Julia Carlisle
Woodstock Early Bird 
Posted by LINDA from EACH LITTLE WORLD on August 29, 2011 at 10:48
Thanks for your great coverage. My sister lives in South Woodstock and we are FB-ing but yours is some of the only coverage for me to see what’s happening. Excellent job!
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Posted by Keri Bristow on August 29, 2011 at 10:48
I appreciate your getting news out. It seems as if there is a serious lack of communication about anything that is going on except through facebook and you. Perhaps that is a situation that should be addressed with the town and village. Seems like an email or website for the town could be set up to give updates and information.
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Posted by Meg Anderson on August 29, 2011 at 10:51
Julia, thank you so much for blogging. My heart feels for Vermont – and Woodstock in particular. It hurts to be far away at a time like this when so much support is needed. I’m glad the sun is out today for the beginning of the clean-up process. I just wish I was there!! My thoughts are with you and all who are affected by the devastation of the flood waters and I will be following your blog closely. You have brought us all closer to what is happening for everyone in the Woodstock area via your reports. Kudos….
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Posted by Janet & George on August 29, 2011 at 10:52
Thanks so much for all of your timely news. We are trying not to bother our neighbors on River Street, but are anxious for any new information – and greatly appreciate your work providing these updates.
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Posted by Lora Gerard Wise on August 29, 2011 at 11:04
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.717017883256.2159808.512106&l=a7a1591114&type=1
Updated my public album with pics from near the Farmer’s Market as of this morning…didn’t go over to the bridge as there was a backhoe working. The appliance store was literally falling into the river.
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Posted by Charlie Kimbell on August 29, 2011 at 11:58
Water is now available at Woodstock Union High School. You can get water there instead of the town garage. Bring buckets or jugs. You may want to boil it, but it is very potable.
Charlie Kimbell
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Posted by Susan Adams Miller on August 29, 2011 at 15:24
Thank you so much for making information available! I am still looking for updates on 106 and in particular Reading. Some of us are far away but very concerned for our friends and family! Great job!
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Posted by George on August 29, 2011 at 17:46
So I take it the black metal bridge heading out town toward Billings across from the Rockefella Estate is still intact?
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Posted by Carie on August 29, 2011 at 21:27
Yes, the road north out of Woodstock is open now, you can get to Pomfret and Barnard, but some of the road edges are missing along the way. The River Road to Quechee is closed past the Billings Farm.
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Posted by MeganM on August 30, 2011 at 00:24
Thank you for being one of two sources I can rely on to get real news about my hometown!
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Posted by nicholas on August 30, 2011 at 20:51
I have low pressure. Is that water safe?
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Posted by Julia Carlisle on August 30, 2011 at 21:04
The water from Dreer spring is perfectly fine for using to wash dishes and put in your tub. It needs to be boiled if you want it for drinking water. Tomorrow there will be availability for both types of water, drinking and utility at the Woodstock Elementary School.
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