LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Several North Las Vegas businesses are recouping thousands of dollars after they were forced to close over the weekend due to a lack of running water.
Eight businesses at Deer Springs Town Center lost water Saturday through Monday, after thieves cut 4 brass backflow valves, officials say are usually stolen for their copper.
The water is back on as of Tuesday, but some are still making up for lost sales.
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Duc Lu, the center’s property manager, says it cost $10,000 in damages.
The Beauty Lab 702 was one of several shops forced to close, with hairstylists cancelling appointments through the weekend.
Ashley Fode estimates she lost over $1,000 from canceled appointments.
“With us here in a salon, we’re under licensing, and if we’re not able to wash our hands after clients, we can’t work technically,” Fode said.
At Mathnasium Learning Center, owner Alan Brown says they were forced to purchase an emergency water supply to keep their doors open.
“Being in a student learning center, making sure kids could adequately wash their hands, use the restrooms, we had to get some temporary emergency water supply, just so that we can keep functioning,” Brown said if the water wasn’t turned back on Tuesday, they were contemplating closing.
The city of North Las Vegas said their utilities department recorded 3 backflow theft incidents in the past year, outside of the Deer Springs location.
While the valves have since been replaced, Lu says he worries thieves could easily steal them again even with locked cages. He also says no video surveillance was available of the incident.
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