The boil water order for the city of Victoria, which was issued at 8 p.m. Wednesday, is still in effect and city officials did not have a timeline for it to be lifted. The city held a press conference Friday afternoon to discuss the situation.
The boil water notice was issued due to chlorine levels in the water system dropping below the minimum 0.5 residuals required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
òòò½ÊÓƵœThis challenge with the chlorine residuals is not an issue throughout the entire city, but because our system is connected, TCEQ requires us to put the entire city under a boil water notice,òòò½ÊÓƵ Jesús Garza, City of Victoria city manager, said. òòò½ÊÓƵœItòòò½ÊÓƵ™s not an issue thatòòò½ÊÓƵ™s consistent across our entire city, but unfortunately, the way that the systemòòò½ÊÓƵ™s designed and under the regulations and direction of TCEQ, we have to take this action.òòò½ÊÓƵ
Work staff with the city became aware of the issue near the intersection of John Stockbauer and Miori Lane on Monday, July 7. The city immediately began working on the issue and notified TCEQ as they are required to do.
òòò½ÊÓƵœIf TCEQ felt that there might be an issue of concern on Monday, they would have had us issue the boil water notice on Monday,òòò½ÊÓƵ Garza said. òòò½ÊÓƵœThey recognized that thereòòò½ÊÓƵ™s volatility in any system, and they worked with us for almost a couple of days before they reached the point where they recommended issuing the Boil Water Notice.òòò½ÊÓƵ
The city has been working on multiple testing sites across the community, but challenges persist and the boil water notice remains active. At this time, the city does not have a definitive answer as to when the issue will be resolved or when the boil water notice will be lifted. A second press conference will be held Saturday, July 12 at 3 p.m. in the City Council chambers.
òòò½ÊÓƵœWhen we first became aware of it, we immediately adjusted our treatment process at the water plant to increase the chlorine levels to push out those higher residuals,òòò½ÊÓƵ Ken Gill, City of Victoria public works director, said. òòò½ÊÓƵœAfter the boil water notice [was issued], we took additional steps to flush out water towers and the distribution system.òòò½ÊÓƵ
The city intends to monitor chlorine residual levels on a tighter basis and develop an After Action Report once the issue is resolved to address ways to handle similar situations in the future.
The city has 80 distribution points throughout the system that are tested on a monthly basis. Water at the surface of the water treatment plant, the water being produced each day, is tested on a daily basis.
òòò½ÊÓƵœChlorine levels can vary throughout the system and are naturally reduced in the system as temperatures increase outside and the consumption of the water system lowers,òòò½ÊÓƵ Gill said. òòò½ÊÓƵœThat can affect those chlorine levels, and thatòòò½ÊÓƵ™s kind of whatòòò½ÊÓƵ™s happening in the system right now.òòò½ÊÓƵ
Boil water notices tend to be issued following catastrophic events such as Hurricane Harvey or Winter Storm Uri, making this incident unique. The chlorine residual levels and boil water order are in no way connected to the flooding in central Texas and the water level in the Guadalupe River.
òòò½ÊÓƵœThis was also the very first time that we were actually able to utilize the cityòòò½ÊÓƵ™s Alert Center,òòò½ÊÓƵ Garza said. òòò½ÊÓƵœThis system allowed us to reach 20,000 individuals instantaneously. We feel that that was a very effective way to get the word out.òòò½ÊÓƵ
During the boil water notice, state specific steps to protect public health are implemented. All water used for drinking, food preparation, cooking and washing must come from a commercially bottled water source or be boiled to a rolling boil for at least three minutes before use.
Ice made prior to the notice must be discarded and ice machines should not be used until they are properly cleaned and sanitized. Only commercially manufactured ice should be used while the boil water notice is in effect.
All water lines and equipment should be flushed and sanitized following the end of the boil water notice. The first batch of ice made after the notice is lifted should be discarded.
òòò½ÊÓƵœSome establishments have made the decision to voluntarily close during this notice or modify menus or operations to reduce this risk,òòò½ÊÓƵ David Gonzales, Victoria òòò½ÊÓƵ Public Health Department director, said.
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