Austin issues emergency boil water notice, expected to last 'a couple of days'

The City of Austin issued Saturday night an emergency boil water notice for the entire municipality, with the mayor saying it appears "this will be over in a couple of days," according to a city press release. The city is requiring commercial customers and manufacturers to reduce water consumption, said Austin Water Director Greg Meszaros, who issued emergency water use restrictions Saturday evening. According to the city, the source of the problem is at the Ullrich Water Treatment Plant, which is now "out of service" while crews try to correct the failure. “We have no indication that there's a contamination,” Meszaros said. “This was a very short term event. Internal process water. Very low risk, but regulations are regulations and we have to do this boil water notice and and really encourage people you know to treat it seriously. That's why the regs are there and take the appropriate steps."

Meszaros said during a press conference on Saturday evening that the water treatment plant experienced a treatment process "upset that resulted in a short term turbidity spike." Turbidity is also known as the measurement of clarity of the water. "This was an internal process at the plant. This was not caused by anything in the river itself,” Meszaros said. "This was internal process water that created this turbidity spike." The release said the city is increasing water production at two other treatment plants, but nevertheless is advising residents to boil water before drinking or cooking. "We all need to do our part when something like this happens, and we will. We can also be frustrated, as I am, that there's yet another situation to deal with," said Mayor Steve Adler wrote in the release. Austin water made the decision to issue a boil water notice after consulting with The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Meszaros said the boil water notice will be in effect for “probably about the next two days."