Residents of Storm Lake are being asked to follow strict water conservation measures after an unexpected power outage affected the community’s water treatment plant. At 4:30 p.m. today (Monday), officials announced the city had temporarily lost the ability to produce water. In a written statement, they say, “As this is an extremely critical situation for water supplies, the City urges as minimal usage as possible.” Residents are asked to avoid using water for any non-essential reason, such as watering lawns, washing cars or using power washers. City crews are investigating the cause of the issue, but no timeframe is available for when it will be corrected.