5 Schools closed Monday following Water Boil

AUSTIN, Texas – Recent flooding is blamed for compromising water treatment facilities with Austin water.

The city is working Monday to stabilize the water treatment system. The water boil and restrictions impacting local schools. 

“Our staff we’ve been scrambling to try and find water,” said Halley Cade the communications coordinator for Wayside schools.

Monday’s boil water notice and new restrictions ended up putting the school week on hold for all five Wayside Schools, as they couldn’t find enough bottled water for their 2,200 kids. 

“We have been running around Austin and the surrounding areas to try and find water at grocery stores and we found some water but not the quantity that we feel like our kids will be taken care of,” said Cade.

They aren’t the only schools impacted. AISD decided to cancel after-school activities on Monday. The city claimed that the recent floods put a strain on local water plants. 

“I’ve talked to engineers who have worked here for 40 years and we’ve never seen an event where it’s undertaking all 3 of our major water drinking events. All of our staff is involved,” said Greg Meszaros with Austin water. 

The flooding brought high levels of debris, silt and mud which made it difficult for the plants to produce the volume of water needed to supply the entire city. 

“Our utility is having to remove that out of our drinking water and it’s creating significant challenges for us,” said Meszaros.
To learn what potential dangers come from drinking the water from your faucet before boiling, 

FOX 7 Austin spoke with Dr. Meena Iyer, the Chief Medical Officer at Dell Childern’s medical center. 

“Do not drink any water from your faucet directly because we do not know what bacteria what viruses is in the water,” said Dr. Iyer.

When boiling your water this is how you want it be a rolling boil according to Austin Water.

Let it sit at a boil for 3 minutes. After that then you can use it to cook, clean and anything else. This also applies to making baby formula and of course giving water to your pets just make sure you let it cool off first. 

“Brushing teeth there is a chance to consuming the water from the faucet so we recommend bottled water or boiled water,” said Dr. Iyer.

If you did drink some of the water, there are 2 key symptoms to look out for. “Any abdominal pain, vomiting contact your physician,” said Dr Iyer.

While these restrictions remain, many people and schools are turning to bottled water during this time.

The city of Austin said there have been no positive tests for bacteria in the water system at this time. 

You also want to toss out any ice made during the water boil notice as freezing does not kill bacteria.

No word yet on when the water boil and restrictions will be lifted.