This semi trailer had a difficult time negotiating the hill on westbound Van Buren last Thursday in Purcell.
A helpful Purcell resident was Johnny-on-the-spot being a good neighbor helping to clear roads in downtown Tuesday afternoon.
A blanket of snow covers a damaged water line at the Memorial Assembly of God Church in Purcell at 7th and Monroe.
Jerry and Elaine Butler at Butler’s Antiques had snow removed from the roof of the Love Hotel as a precautionary measure after an estimated 8-10” of snow fell in two separate storms.
Several Canada geese walk across the frozen waters of Purcell Lake after a frigid air mass completely froze over the body of water.
Snow removal at the McClain County Courthouse proved to be a monumental task after the two rounds of winter precipitation that blasted the area.
A pair of mountain climbers on Jefferson had a field day on a pile of snow from plows that cleared one of Purcell’s thoroughfares.
Reportedly the robin onslaught in Purcell this past week is due to the birds migrating. Whatever the case there have been a plethora of the red-breasted fowl flying around.
Despite the freezing temperatures, two kayakers enjoy some ice fishing on the Purcell City Lake.
Purcell was spared the worst of the winter storm’s brunt, city manager Dale Bunn said Tuesday.
Bunn credited employees from the water and electric departments with keeping both utilities flowing to customers.
He said transducers which measure the height of water in storage tanks were freezing up in the brutal cold.
Crews had to “warm them up” in storage tanks at the golf course, fire station, I-35 and the old District 7 near Union Hill.
Also plagued with the danger of freezing were booster stations to increase water pressure.
City employees used heating units to keep the above-ground booster stations operational.
Those stations were located on State Highway 39, at the golf course and in Lexington near the Canadian River.
The city has 16 water wells in the Lexington Wildlife Management Area.
One well froze up, but the other 15 wells remained in operation.
“We didn’t lose water,” Bunn said.
Freezing didn’t occur in the city’s sewer mains, but crews were called out to repair water line breaks at 7th and Monroe and 2nd and Van Buren.
Those water lines were 4 and 2 inches, respectively.
According to Michael Minor, water department superintendent, “hundreds” of Purcell residents experienced water line breaks.
In each case, the city turned water off at the meter until the lines could be repaired. Then water employees turned each meter back on.
With space heaters in short supply, some employees brought kerosene stoves from home for the city to use, Bunn said.
“I am really pleased by the effort of the water and electric departments,” he added.
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