Thousands without water pressure for 5th straight day in Dixmoor

A boil order remains in effect in suburban Dixmoor.

Schools and businesses remain closed as the town deals with a major water crisis. Although old infrastructure is blamed as the cause, one Dixmoor official says there is much more to the story.

Anthony McCaskill, Dixmoor’s treasurer and head of Human Resources, says their water supply was intentionally turned off Saturday morning and when crews tried to restart the century old pipeline, the infrastructure ruptured.

"After the water was cut off, there were some issues and it was like a jack hammer effect," McCaskill said.

Harvey supplies Dixmoor’s water. Both towns are in litigation over unpaid bills. Harvey Mayor Chris Clark declined an interview with FOX 32, but said he did not order the water shut off.

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Resident Jose Estrada pays his water bill on time and feels he should not have to suffer.

"The water bills is always high, every month it goes up … I don’t know why," Estrada said.

Dixmoor’s Mayor Fitzgerald Roberts says, "Christopher Clark, the Mayor of Harvey, is working with us, so we’re moving forward."

Dixmoor leaders have distributed more than 80 pallets of water outside Village Hall since Saturday. The mayor has declared "A State of Emergency."

The town of more than 3,600 people, just 18 miles south of downtown Chicago, remains in desperate need of assistance.

"I got my mother and stepmom so it’s hard for them to get around. They can’t carry cases of water into their house everyday," said Dixmoor resident Neil Robertson.

Cook County Board President Tony Preckwinkle is expected to meet with town leaders in Dixmoor on Thursday at 11 a.m.