Neighbors in the Village of Cato have found reasons to be thankful in the middle of a crisis. Many have been without access to water since Wednesday, November 23rd due to a water main break.

The Village and Cayuga County have been trucking in bottles of water, due to the local water tower being empty due to the water main break. It’s been all hands-on deck to help members of the community.

“We weren’t able to go to our sons for thanksgiving dinner, but duty first,” said Cato Mayor Carl Lincoln, who has been assisting residents and handing out bottled water.

Losing access to running water ahead of Thanksgiving has been a challenge for residents and businesses, who struggled to prepare food for the holiday.

“it’s devastating we had to close early,” said Marcia Sherman, owner of New York Pizzeria in Cato. “We have a good community; it’s been a struggle, but we can do what can do.”

New York Pizzeria closed the day before Thanksgiving, which Sherman says is one of the busiest days of the year. The restaurant is now relying on bottled water to keep the business running.

Many in the Village of Cato, especially those in higher elevations are still without water in their homes. The village is asking those who have had their water service restored to reduce their usage to allow others in the community to have access to water.

Around 2 PM on Friday, the village provided an update, explaining that the water pump has now been fixed. Officials said in a Facebook post that it would take hours for the water tower to refill.

At this point, the boil water notice still remains intact for neighbors.