Boil water advisory issued for Arlington after service saw ‘unprecedented demand’
Water pressure in Arlington homes may take around 48 hours to return to normal levels after the city’s water utility provider experienced a large surge in demand, according to a city statement.
Until pressure returns, Arlington Water Utilities advised residents with water supplies and power Wednesday to boil their water before using it.
The city experienced nearly twice the normal water usage within 24 hours, according to utilities Director Craig Cummings. Around 10 a.m., the city saw a larger surge in demand that caused some homes to lose pressure.
“What we have seen resembles the pressure drop we would see with a very large main break,” Cummings said. “However, after investigating throughout the city, we believe the dramatic drop in pressure was due to the increased demand we were already seeing and many small to medium breaks on private water lines due to weather conditions.”
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality required the city to issue an order because of a recent pressure drop in the city’s distribution system. An earlier city press release suggested a “major water main break” as a contributing cause to the drop in water pressure.
The advisory affects residents in Dalworthington Gardens but does not affect those in Pantego. Kennedale, which recently entered an agreement with Arlington Water Utilities to operate the city’s water service, is also under a boil water advisory as of Wednesday evening.
Residents should bring tap water to a vigorous rolling boil for five minutes and let it cool completely before using it for any purposes including drinking, cleaning or personal hygiene, or use bottled water. People with weakened immune systems, as well as children and seniors, are at a heightened risk for getting sick from harmful bacteria.
The city water utility service experienced higher demand when customers began filling bathtubs and buckets. Misinformation on social media falsely suggested Texas cities would shut off water service altogether to maintain water pressure.
Utility crews in Arlington responded to more than 100 calls over the past day and repaired over a dozen water main breaks on city-owned property.
Arlington Water Utilities began producing water at the John F. Kubala Water Treatment Plant Wednesday morning. The Pierce-Burch Water Treatment Plant is also treating water.
Arlington Water Utilities customers should be notified when the advisory is lifted. Those with questions can contact Arlington Water Utilities Department at 817-275-5931 or the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality at 519-239-1000.
This story was originally published February 17, 2021 at 12:23 PM.
