SPENCER, Neb. (AP) – A rural water district official is worried about how to provide water for the thousands of people and cattle in his northern Nebraska county after a wall of water, ice and debris swept away a vital pipe.

Rex Black is the volunteer board chairman for the water district in Boyd County. He tells the Omaha World-Herald that the district will likely have to pay $400,000 to temporarily fix 1,500 feet (460 meters) of pipe that crosses beneath the Niobrara River and carries drinking water to the county.

Black says district officials are reaching out to private and business sectors for funding assistance. He’s also started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money.

It could likely take more than 40 days to get water running after repair work begins.