Memphis encountering water issues ahead of Liberty Bowl: Kansas vs. Arkansas
As the Kansas football team prepares to play Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl on Wednesday, water issues currently loom over the host city of Memphis, Tennessee.
The cold weather in the city has caused multiple water main breaks, which has caused low water pressure. As a result, on Christmas Eve, the Memphis, Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) company issued a boil water advisory to most customers.
Customers were told to only drink water after boiling it for three minutes.
Despite the rumors of a cancellation, the Liberty Bowl announced that the game will still take place at the expected time of 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
There have been significant weather challenges throughout the country, including here in Memphis. We can assure you the @AutoZone Liberty Bowl between @KU_Football & @RazorbackFB will be played on Wed. Dec. 28 - kickoff at 4:30 p.m. The forecast at game time is temps in the 50s.
— AutoZone Liberty Bowl (@AZOLibertyBowl) December 27, 2022
Still, the water situation has caused logistical issues for media and fans traveling to the game.
Memphis residents and businesses, including local hotels, have had issues with a lack of water or low water pressure. That has caused multiple hotels around the area to turn away guests or cancel reservations. Several hotels don’t have heat or hot water. Most hotels have advised existing guests not to drink the water.
The Star contacted six hotels for information on how they’re handling the water issues. Several hotels believe it will take four to five days for a return to normal operations.
Hotels have advised fans traveling to the game to call before booking and bring water bottles for consumption and brushing teeth.
As of Monday evening, the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Memphis Downtown and Sheraton Memphis Downtown Hotel had stopped taking guests. The Holiday Inn Memphis-Downtown didn’t have hot water or heat but was still taking guests, an employee told The Star.
The DoubleTree Hotel Memphis Downtown and Canopy by Hilton Memphis Downtown are some of the few fully functioning hotels.
Even KU hasn’t been immune from the water problems.
Kansas has been told not to drink the water and has been provided with water bottles for drinking and brushing, one KU Athletics official told The Star.
“We’ve had easy access to water and stuff,” KU offensive lineman Mike Novitsky said. “They’ve been taking great care of us and making sure we are not affected too much by it.”
#MLGW has initialized the Emergency Water Management Phase of the Drought Management Plan. All customers need to limit all non-essential water uses as MLGW works to find, fix or isolate main breaks and broken water services. #MLGWNews pic.twitter.com/sH885gvOOt
— MLGW (@MLGW) December 26, 2022
On Monday, MLGW president and CEO Doug McGowen estimated MLGW would fully restore the water system in the next four to five days.
MLGW also issued the Emergency Water Management Phase of the Drought Management. Customers were told to limit all non-essential water uses.
