LUMBERTON — City officials say the water plant is operating, but as a precaution are asking people to conserve water when they can.

City Manager Wayne Horne said this morning that the water plant, which was fortified shortly before the storm with the building of a makeshift berm, is “OK right now,” and they expect that to continue. Horne said the city is concerned that the Lumber River, which is at 24 feet, a record that surpasses the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, might contaminate wells that feed the plant. He said if that happens, the city has on hand a two-day supply of water, but that time-frame could be lengthened through conservation.

Following Hurricane Matthew, the water plant was knocked off line for about a month, but the city came up with a workaround by using potable water that was trucked in and then delivered through the system with portable pumps.