Residents in Northeast and Central El Paso are facing a boil water notice after El Paso Water crews worked overnight to remove a damaged 36-inch water main, an effort that reduced the number of affected customers from 100,000 to 24,000, according to KFOX-TV. The water main, reportedly half a century old, was not previously identified as high-risk, but its failure prompted swift actions to mitigate the impact on the community and the essential supply of water. While the restoration process could take up to 72 hours, as per the estimates provided, four homes located near the break have been directly affected by this incident.
Gilbert Trejo, VP of Operations and Technical Services at El Paso Water, confirmed in a statement obtained by KFOX-TV that despite the progress, the boil water notice could persist "from another 24 to 36 hours," as they wait for conclusive laboratory results from collected samples and adhere to the Texas Commission on environmental quality requirements, this occurs in parallel to the efforts of the crews who faced challenges as they dealt with pumping remaining water out of the line to create a dry work site necessary for completing the repairs.
While the service has been partially restored, El Paso Water urges residents to boil their water for at least three minutes to ensure its safety for consumption and advises businesses and residents to minimize water usage and suspend all non-essential water activities during this time. The utility company has also provided an online map to help customers check if they are in the affected areas, further ensuring that needed information is readily accessible to those impacted by the ongoing restoration.
Though the concrete pipes like the one that failed are widespread throughout the city, El Paso Water maintains programs for the repair and replacement of old pipes; Gilbert Trejo highlighted that similar concrete pipes are common and that the utility has preventive measures in place, he told KTSM 9 News "We have programs for old pipes to repair and replace old pipes," affirming a proactive approach to infrastructure maintenance and suggesting a commitment to prevent such disruptive events in the future, though it is clear that the utility is grappling with the complexities of aging infrastructure and the immediate challenges it presents to a community reliant on its consistent function.
