A state of emergency is declared due to a severe water shortage.

Saving dirty bath water just to flush the toilet may sound extreme, but that's exactly what some people in Letcher County are doing to conserve water.

People in Fleming-Neon and several surrounding communities are being urged to conserve water in any way possible. That's after the mayor there issued a state of emergency Sunday night.

Officials are saying the water levels there are now at critical levels, and despite recent rain, it could be some time before reaches the water supply.

It's a welcome sight for people in one Eastern Kentucky region.

The people in Fleming-Neon and surrounding communities desperately need the rain...Officials say the area's main and backup water sources are now at critical levels.

“The rain that we've been getting, you know I'm glad for it, I hope we get a lot more, it will eventually help us, but it's not an overnight fix 40,” Carlos Phillips said.

In fact it could be ten days before Sunday & Monday's rain makes it into the water source.

That means residents are being urged to conserve.

“Please do that to help us out, and maybe we can pull through this together,” Phillips said.

The state of emergency is also affecting residents in the McRoberts, Seco, Hempfill, and Haymond areas.