ANCHORAGE, Alaska—
Residents of the northwest Alaska village of Kivalina can expect to be melting snow and ice for most of the winter after freezing temperatures prevented the city's two water storage tanks from being filled.
The two tanks were a little more than half full before city officials pulled transfer lines from the Wulluk River on Tuesday morning. Residents will be under water conservation orders.
City administrator Janet Mitchell says it's simply too cold to pump water now.
That means most water now in city tanks will have to be used by the community school and will not be available for home use.
Residents who can't get city water must melt snow or haul ice from the river for their cooking and washing needs.
