Nearly 100,000 Asheville residents could be without access to water for weeks, according to a news release from the city Sunday afternoon.

“Extensive repairs are required to treatment facilities, underground and above-ground water lines, and washed-away roads that prevent water personnel from accessing portions of the system,” the city’s news release said.

“While it is impossible to provide an exact timeline, it is important to note that restoring service to the entire system may take weeks.”

This news comes as Asheville residents are already facing severe water shortages. On Sunday morning, hundreds lined up outside a Harris Teeter in North Asheville, hoping to buy water and other scarce supplies.

Mel Salla, a resident of the River Arts District neighborhood, said she arrived at 6 a.m. to make sure she could buy water at the grocery store, which opened around 8 a.m. Sunday morning.

Before the grocery store even opened, the line was surprisingly long – hundreds of people snaking across the store’s parking lot and along Merrimon Avenue. The grocery store allowed 10 people in at a time.

Asheville city and Buncombe County officials have not yet released a plan for distributing food or water to their residents. At a news conference this morning, Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder said trucks were on their way with food and water but were stuck in transit.

At that conference, officials also said that Weaverville was without power and water, but many streets in the city were now clear.

Residents with electricity are instructed to boil water vigorously for at least a minute before consuming.