Lightning struck a water filtering plant in Red Lion on Friday, creating the need to conserve water in four York County communities.

Eric Immel, chairman of the Dallastown Yoe Water Authority, was at the plant along with a specialist on Saturday morning trying to determine the exact problem.

Immel said while the plant is mostly functioning, the water meters are out, making it impossible to know how much water is entering and leaving the plant, and whether the water is fully processed and free of contamination.

Residents who get their water from the plant are presently relying on stored water that was pumped before the lightening strike. As a result, customers are being asked conserve water.

Immel said the authority wasn’t making any strict requests regarding water usage or limits, but rather asking residents to use no more water than necessary.

As of about 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, he said “we are starting to try pump a little water.” But he had no estimate for when the plant will be fully functional.

Immel said the situation was affecting residents of Red Lion, Yoe, Dallastown and parts of Windsor Borough.

The Red Lion Municipal Authority Distribution System receives treated water from Cabin Creek, Beaver Creek and the Susquehanna River, and pumps it to the Dallastown-Yoe and Windsor Borough distribution systems, according to the system’s annual report.