Houston

City of Houston Under Boil Water Notice After Power Outage

Officials will monitor water pressure levels to determine when the water is safe to use without boiling

FILE - Water bubbles and boils on a gas stove
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The main water system for Houston, Texas, has been given a boil water notice after water pressure dropped below minimum water pressure levels following a power outage at one of the system's water purification plants, according to a city press release.

The notice has caused the Houston Independent School District to shut down schools and facilities for Monday, Nov. 28, 2022. Additionally, the City of Houston tweeted out that residents should boil their water before "drinking, cooking, bathing, and brushing their teeth."

Residents are also advised to let water boil for 3 minutes before using, and if residents are without power they should use only bottled water.

Water pressure was restored to the system shortly after the power outage at the East Water Purification Plant on Sunday, November 27, at 10:30 a.m., but the boiling notice will remain in effect for at least 24 hours. The mayor's office believes the water boiling notice will be lifted at the earliest "tomorrow night or very early Tuesday morning."

"We believe the water is safe but based on regulatory requirements when pressure drops below 20 psi we are obligated to issue a boil water notice," the city's mayor's office tweeted out.

Officials will continue to monitor the situation and urge residents who live in areas that receive water from Houston's main system to wait for their local jurisdiction to lift the boiling notice for their area before returning to regular usage.

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