GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas — After a two-and-a-half-day "do not use water" advisory in Grand Prairie, businesses are finally returning to normal operations.
The advisory was issued when a foaming agent was detected in the city's water supply, forcing residents to rely on bottled water and store owners to shut down two days this week.
“It was nice to pull that chain and say 'Open, we're here,'” owner John Parker of Don Juan's Romantic Mexican Food said.
The water crisis had an impact on local businesses, with owners like Parker having to get creative to stay open. He managed to keep his doors open Thursday by trucking in water and ice from outside the city from another restaurant location.
“We didn’t use one drop of city water,” Parker noted.
Customers like Peter Ramirez, who frequents Zavala’s Barbecue for lunch, were unable to visit their favorite spots until Friday.
“They’re number one on my list,” Ramirez said.
Parker wants to remind people that when businesses close, it affects the owners, and especially, the employees. He says the revenue covers employee salaries so they can pay bills and buy goods for their families.
Internally, the city is encouraging employees to support local establishments, especially as they recover from two days of lost income.
“I always love to support local,” Ramirez added.
While the water is now back on and businesses are up and running, some owners worry that customers may still be hesitant to return.
“I’m sure you have a segment of people out there who are like, ‘I don’t know if that water is good or not,’” Parker remarked.
Nevertheless, with the water crisis behind them, Grand Prairie businesses are hoping for a full recovery.