Thursday, Jun 6 2013 3:32PM

One New Mexico village has run out of water due to drought.

Residents of the village of Magdalena, New Mexico, are exploring their options after the sole well that provides water to the town dried up as a result of drought-like conditions, according to The Associated Press.

Roughly 1,000 residents and many businesses lost their access to water system services after water levels in the single well that serves the community fell below the well's pump, the AP explains. The problem has been attributed to drought, which the area has been facing for roughly three years, as well as poor infrastructure.

After the well went dry, the city submitted a request to the state for a new one to be drilled, but this is not an immediate process, the source reports. Instead, residents are being forced to rely on water resources from the surrounding areas.

"We're delivering potable water to residents, especially the elderly and small children we're concerned about," village Marshal Larry Cearley told the AP. "We can only deliver so much water for so long."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently extended emergency loans to many areas of the country that are suffering from drought, including Arizona, California and Nevada. However, few rural areas have actually run out of water. The scenario may indicate a growing need for further investment in infrastructure, water sustainability and conservation efforts to protect rural residents. 

For more information, check out this resource: The Associated Press