A major water main break turned a big slice of Castroville into a boil-first, drink-later zone on Wednesday, after city officials issued a boil water notice and shut down service across much of the city. The outage hit neighborhoods west of the town's Walmart and sent repair crews scrambling to track down and fix the leak. Until testing clears the system, residents are being told to boil tap water before using it for drinking, cooking, or brushing teeth.
City Posts Official Boil-Water Notice
The City of Castroville posted an official Boil Water Notice on its alert page on April 8 and attached a PDF of the required public notice, according to the City of Castroville. The notice urges residents to be cautious with any water coming out of the tap and makes clear the order will stay in place until laboratory tests show the system is safe.
Outage Footprint: West Of Walmart
An earlier urgent alert said water service had been shut down "for everyone west of Walmart," while "Alsatian Oaks and the east side of the city" were not affected, the city's emergency message stated, according to the City of Castroville. City officials also urged residents to conserve whatever water they still had on hand while repair crews worked to locate and repair the break.
How Long To Boil And Alternatives
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality recommends bringing water to a vigorous rolling boil and keeping it there for two minutes before use. Bottled water is an acceptable substitute for drinking or preparing infant formula, per TCEQ. The boil notice will remain in effect until laboratory tests show the water system is safe and officials formally lift the advisory.
Where To Get Updates
Local reporting noted that the initial alert appeared on the city's Facebook page and that officials had not given any estimated time for full restoration, as reported by KENS5. Residents are being urged to watch the city's alert page and social channels for the latest word on testing results and service updates.
People with infants, seniors, or weakened immune systems are advised to stick to boiled or bottled water until authorities lift the order, and businesses that serve food should follow the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's guidance on disinfecting and flushing fixtures. The city and state will notify customers once testing confirms the water system is safe for normal use, according to TCEQ.
