16,000 Oklahomans in Payne, Pawnee and Lincoln counties facing water crisis

Some 16,000 residents in rural Payne, Pawnee, and Lincoln counties are running out of water.

Both Payne and Pawnee emergency managers have declared states of emergency, effectively sending the shortage problem up the chain to Gov. Mary Fallin.

The nearly year-long drought facing the region has decimated the counties' water supply, much of which is rural farm land.

Lone Chimney Lake, the area's only water source, currently sits at four feet of water -- 11.5 feet below normal.

"It doesn't scare me, it concerns me because of the cost," said Julie Snider, a local farmer. "I don't want to have to buy bottled water to brush our teeth with and to bring to the animals."

Workers are in the process of building a pipeline to feed water from the Lone Chimney Water treatment plant to Stillwater's plant, but most likely won't be able to complete the project until July.

If water runs out before then, National Guard officials plan on bringing in trucks full of water to help aid families.