North Fort Worth water safe to drink again, west side residents should keep boiling
More than 200,000 customers in north Fort Worth can drink their water without boiling after the city Friday lifted a water warning that’s been in place since late Monday.
Fort Worth Water issued a boil advisory for the northern third of the city Monday after the Eagle Mountain Lake treatment center and several other water facilities lost power. The impacted area expanded early Tuesday morning as the city coped with frozen equipment and a loss of pressure in the northern part of the water system.
Just after noon on Friday, Fort Worth Water said on social media water was safe to drink the north. A separate boil water advisory remains in effect for parts of west Fort Worth.
Restaurants that had been told to close in the affected area can reopen.
The northern area is roughly bounded on the west by the city of River Oaks, Lake Worth and Eagle Mountain Lake. The southern boundary is almost to Northside Drive. The eastern boundary is the city limits.
Customers in Haslet, Keller, Lake Worth, Northlake, Roanoke, Saginaw, Southlake, Trophy Club and Westlake should check with their water provider.
After the system lost pressure, contaminants may have seeped in to the pipes through cracks. Though water pressure was restored to most customers earlier this week, the city had to test the water in several locations before it allowing the public to consumer it. Restaurants in the area were also told to shut down.
Water is still not safe to drink without boiling for a large portion of west Fort Worth starting at Montgomery Street. Aledo, White Settlement and Westover Hills were also impacted.
Several water main breaks on the west side caused the system there to lose pressure as well. Samples were taken for testing early Friday, the city said. The testing process can take up to 24 hours.
Water should be boiled before use, including when drinking, brushing teeth and for cooking and hand and face washing. Once the water reaches a boil, it should continue boiling for two minutes.
Bottle water is available on the west side at these locations:
▪ RD Evans Community Center, 3242 Lackland Road (starts Friday)
▪ Western Hills High School, 3600 Boston Ave.
▪ Birchman Baptist Church, 9100 North Normandale St. (starts Friday)
Distribution at all sites is from 8 a.m. until supplies run out.
Water is also available at four breweries, though people should bring their own containers
▪ CowTown Brewery, 1301 E Belknap St.
▪ Panther Island Brewing, 501 N Main St.
▪ Hop Fusion Ale Works, 200 E Broadway Ave.
▪ Wild Acre Brewing, 1734 E El Paso St.
Contrary to social media rumors, Fort Worth Water is not cutting off water to prevent main breaks. The city had anticipated the cold weather could cause main breaks, particularly with old cast iron water pipes that do not handle cold snaps well.
If a main breaks, is possible for customers in the neighborhood to have low pressure or be without water for several hours while repairs are made, the city said.
This story was originally published February 19, 2021 at 12:44 PM.
