Local residents scoop up supplies

Thousands of North Shore residents continue to feel like Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who said, “Water, water, everywhere, nor any a drop to drink,” as the boil-water order remains in effect due to a water break in Weston.Tuesday morning Saugus residents had the opportunity to grab their drop to drink as members of the Saugus Emergency Management Agency dolled out cases of Poland spring water.As one worker methodically grabbed case after case of water and deposited it in people’s cars, he said the line for water reminded him of the gas crisis days in the 1970s.A well-orchestrated system was put in place by Emergency Management Director Paul Penachio as those looking for water had to remain in their cars, pull up in front of the Emergency Management building on Hamilton Street, a case would be loaded in their car and they were on their way.Penachio estimated the line of cars stretched a little more than two miles.It took the workers and volunteers exactly two hours to distribute all the water they had, before having to turn away everyone else waiting.”We started at 7:30 (a.m.) and when this is gone it is gone,” Penachio said. “We were scheduled to get 10,000 gallons but we only received 5,000 to give out. It stinks. It is a bad situation but it is only going to last for a day or two longer.”It really has been excellent all morning,” Penachio said. “It has been very smooth and well controlled.”In Marblehead, the picture was similar to that in Saugus as cars lined Tower Way all the way out to Village Street in the hopes of getting a case or two of bottled water from the town’s 4,500 gallons.The plan was to begin distributing water at 1 p.m. Monday from the Department of Public Works garage, but workers began giving away the water at 12:45 when the line of cars reached Village Street.