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'It was very inspirational'; Louisville Water Company helps restore water in eastern Kentucky

"It's not just about drinking, it's about taking baths, it's about doing laundry, it's about the basic things we take for granted that water provides."

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Employees with Louisville Water Company returned home after working in eastern Kentucky to help restore water in the area.

After Kentuckians lost so much due to flooding, Manager of Security and Emergency Preparedness Brad Harts said bringing water back to them was the least they could do.

"It's not just about drinking, it's about taking baths, it's about doing laundry, it's about the basic things we take for granted that water provides," he said. 

Hart and others with Louisville Water Company traveled to Hazard, Kentucky to look for water main breaks throughout the city. Director of Water Quality and Research Peter Goodmann said he was shocked by the level of damage that was there.

"I never seen anything quite as intense," he said. 

Goodmann said countless water mains were destroyed, which caused people in Hazard to go without water for over a week. After Hart and Goodmann were there for four days, they said they helped restore water to 700 people.

"People were coming out of their house and saying 'is the water on yet?' Goodmann said. "And they were all happy and were like 'I'm going to take a shower!' Everybody wanted to take a shower right there."

As for Hart, he said seeing everyone's reactions changed his life forever.

"It was very inspirational. The whole way after spending four days down there, I felt terrible, I wanted to turn back immediately," he said. 

And Wednesday he will be able to do just that -- turn back around and help some more.

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