From The Texas Newsroom:
A boil-water notice in South Texas’ Webb County has been extended after officials said testing continues to show bacteria in the water supply.
The notice to Laredo residents was first issued Oct. 10 after water samples showed traces of E. coli. Water samples taken late Wednesday showed the bacteria was still present in some city water-supply plants. The earliest the notice can be lifted is Thursday evening, the Laredo Morning Times reported.
The cause of the contamination isn’t clear, although city officials said aging infrastructure is the likely culprit.
“Unfortunately, the same investigation shows that the overall problem is multiple years in the making and we are now playing catch up to a problem that has grown to what it is today,” Laredo Mayor Victor Treviño said Tuesday.
The city is investigating whether an illegal water connection found in one of the city’s supply sites with high bacteria factored into the contamination.
“We want to remind the community that illegal connections can lead to water contamination, posing a direct threat to public health,” city officials said in a statement. “The City also urges residents to hire certified plumbers for any work related to water connections. Illegal connections can result in fines and water service disconnections.”
A Wednesday night update from city officials said that E. coli was found at one testing location, while a high bacteria count was found at a nearby site. A site farther away was clean, tests showed, and officials were seeking permission to separate water-supply plants to help manage the situation.
State Sen. Judith Zaffirini, a Democrat from Laredo, has posted daily updates on her Facebook page, including water distribution sites throughout the affected areas.
“Another 7 truckloads of water were distributed yesterday, and 91 home deliveries were made. Homebound and elderly residents should call 3-1-1 for assistance,” she posted early Thursday morning.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for Webb County Wednesday to authorize “use of all available resources of state government and of political subdivisions that are reasonably necessary to cope with this disaster.”
In addition to more state resources, the declaration will also allow county and city officials to request federal aid as it works to resolve the issue.
The Laredo incident is the latest in what appears to be a regular occurrence in Texas. In August residents in Rendon, a city in North Texas, were directed to boil their water after water pressure at a supply plant dropped below acceptable levels. Last month, residents in Odessa were told to boil water after low water levels were detected at one of the city’s water towers.
