HOUSTON (CW39) Many cities around the area are issuing boil water notices, including certain areas of Harris County. Harris County Public Health has issued a warning to many Houston residents.

BOIL WATER NOTICES ISSUED FOR:

• Katy
• Harris County (certain areas)
• Houston
• Galveston and Galveston County
• Pearland
• Pasadena
• Seabrook (as a precaution)
• Bellaire (as a precaution)
• Greatwood in Sugar Land
• Harris County Water Control and Improvement District No 21 in Channelview
• Sealy
• La Porte
• Friendswood

NOTICE FROM SUGAR LAND: Due to extremely low temperatures, increased demand, and prolonged power outages to critical city infrastructure, the City of Sugar Land is issuing a boil water notice for customers of its Greatwood Water System, effective immediately. The notice calls for all Greatwood customers to boil their water prior to consumption when the water pressure drops below 20 psi.

***Boil Water Notice***

Due to extremely low temperatures, increased demand, and prolonged power outages to critical city infrastructure, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the City of Sugar Land-Greatwood water system (PWS ID 0790296) to notify all customers to boil their water prior to consumption (e.g., washing hands/face, brushing teeth, drinking, etc). Children, seniors, and persons with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to harmful bacteria, and all customers should follow these directions.

To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes.

In lieu of boiling, individuals may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source for drinking water or human consumption purposes.

When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, the public water system officials will notify customers that the water is safe for drinking water or human consumption purposes.

Once the boil water notice is no longer in effect, the public water system will issue a notice to customers that rescinds the boil water notice in a manner similar to this notice.

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

This notice also applies to residents of Greatwood Lakes receiving water from Fort Bend MUD 192, PWS ID 0790553.

If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact Ashley Kirkpatrick at 281-275-2450 or 311.

The City’s Public Works Department is working diligently to restore safe drinking water quality and will alert its customers as soon as the current situation has been resolved. In the meantime, please exercise due caution in using water from the City’s system. A copy of the official Boil Water Notice is included with this release.

NOTICE FROM GALVESTON: Most all the cities listed above have enacted Stage 5 of its water emergency response due to major water line breaks and system failures, which caused significant loss of the capability to provide water service. Most customers may already be experiencing low to no water pressure as a result of these breaks and failures.

Below freezing temperatures over the last two days caused water line breaks in homes and businesses to occur throughout the city, putting increased demand on the infrastructure and water supply system. During this time, the Gulf Coast Water Authority (GCWA), the city’s water supplier, separately encountered a water supply issue, which greatly reduced the flow of water to the island. In addition, other communities supplied by GCWA are also experiencing significant system wide leaks. The combination of these events has resulted in GCWA drawing down on its available water supplies. The Thomas Mackey Water Plant is working at full capacity; however, demand is currently exceeding available supply. The Gulf Coast Water Authority will continue to supply water to the island as long as it can. The city’s water supply is critically low, and efforts are ongoing to fill tanks while GCWA is still delivering water.

The City of Galveston is working diligently to provide water to its residents; however, reduction in the supply from GCWA will inhibit the city’s ability to restore system-wide water service.

Once water is restored, the City will be under a boil water notice, meaning water for drinking, cooking and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes. This is to ensure destruction of any harmful bacteria.

Galveston residents will also be under Stage 5 water restrictions. Stage 5 water restrictions means the city may limit water pressure across the island in an attempt to stabilize water storage levels. Residents and businesses will likely notice this in their homes as reduced water pressure.

Under Stage 5 restrictions, we’re asking that residents significantly curtail their water usage. Showers should be limited to five minutes or less. Landscape water uses are prohibited. The city will also discontinue the flushing of water mains unless there is a threat to public health, safety, or welfare. Water pressure will slowly be enhanced as the system is able to re-equalize.

The City of Galveston will provide updates regarding the status of the water restrictions as more information becomes available.