Richardson Boil Water Notice extended, schools will open Friday

Richardson ISD says five schools will reopen on Friday after being forced to cancel classes on Thursday due to an ongoing water loss and boil notice in the city. The boil notice, meanwhile, has been extended into Friday.

The city issued a boil water notice to residents on the southwest side after an equipment malfunction on Wednesday caused a drop in the water pressure in the 767 water zone. According to a news release, the malfunction went undetected because the telemetry equipment failed to notify operators, and the water pressure ultimately fell to zero. 

City crews collected water samples from the impacted area overnight Wednesday and delivered them to the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) for testing on Thursday morning. The test results are expected sometime Friday and will determine when the boil notice can be lifted.

When water pressure drops, people are asked to boil water because the lower pressure in the pipes can allow contaminants, like harmful bacteria, to enter the system through cracked pipes. Boiling the water kills the bacteria, sanitizing the water. If the water isn't sanitized, the bacteria could harm children, seniors, and others with weakened immune systems.

The city said the notice on Thursday affected about 17,000 customers, including residential areas and businesses. On Thursday, the Richardson ISD closed Dover Elementary, Heights Elementary, Arapaho Classical Magnet, Richardson West Junior High, and Richardson High due to a lack of water.

Though the boil water notice was extended into Friday, the Richardson ISD said Thursday afternoon they had prepared school buildings to operate with the water loss by covering water fountains and refill stations and restocking the bottled water supply. Additionally, the cafeterias will serve ‘cold’ meals for breakfast and lunch that do not require water in kitchens to prepare, rinse, or clean up.

The district said that, per the city’s guidance, restroom tap water is safe for washing hands when combined with soap and washed vigorously for 20 seconds. The water issues are not expected to extend into next week.

For residents, the city is offering free pickup of bottled water at the Heights Recreation Center, 711 W Arapaho Road, on Thursday and Friday between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Thursday afternoon the city said they had given out about 2,500 cases of water so far. They also said the Network of Community Ministries, the North Texas Food Bank, and Texans on Mission donated 20 pallets of water.

“We have seen a tremendous outpouring of support during this incident, and I would like to thank the community for its patience and understanding as we continue work to bring our water service back to normal,” said Richardson City Manager Don Magner. “If there is a silver lining it is this incident has brought neighbors even closer together. I thank our local news partners and the community for their help in spreading the word quickly and hope we will soon be able to lift the boil water notice so people can return to their normal routines as soon as possible.”

The water distribution center will cease operations once the boil water notice has been lifted.

Restaurants operating within the affected area under the boil water notice may continue to operate, provided they follow proper guidelines to disinfect water and ensure it is safe for human consumption. 

How to boil/disinfect water to meet safety guidelines

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) provides the following information as guidelines.

To boil water:

• Fill a pot with water.
• Heat the water until bubbles come from the bottom of the pot to the top.
• Once the water reaches a rolling boil, let it boil for 1 minute.
• Turn off the heat source and let the water cool.
• Pour the water into a clean container with a cover for storage.

To disinfect water:

• If you cannot boil your water, you can disinfect it to make it safe to drink. For more information about how to properly disinfect water, click here.