UPDATE: The City of Richardson announced Friday about midafternoon that the boil water order impacting southwest portions of the city has been lifted.
“The public water system has taken the necessary corrective actions to restore the quality of the water distributed by the City used for drinking and human consumption purposes and has provided [Texas Commission on Environmental Quality] with laboratory test results that indicate the water no longer requires boiling prior to use as of today, November 8, 2024,” the City announced on its website.
“I would like to thank the community for its support, patience, and understanding on behalf of our water crews and all the additional teams brought in to assist in responding to this incident,” said Richardson City Manager Don Magner. “We are committed to conducting a thorough after-action review to identify any improvements that will help us avoid and prevent similar issues in the future.”
School campuses in Richardson that were closed on Thursday due to a boil water notice from the city are back open on Friday, although the boil water order remains in place.
The boil water notice is in effect for residences, businesses, and schools in southwest Richardson, in the area bounded by Coit Road, U.S. 75, West Spring Valley Road, and West Arapaho Road. Richardson ISD schools that were closed Thursday in the impacted area included Dover Elementary, Heights Elementary, Arapaho Classical Magnet, Richardson West Junior High, and Richardson High.
School officials have made some temporary changes at these campuses until the water situation is resolved and city officials deem it safe for human consumption. Water fountains will not be in use at these locations, and bottled water will be provided. Students will receive cold meals for breakfast and lunch that do not require the kitchen to use water to prepare, rinse, or clean up.
According to city guidelines, the city’s tap water is safe for hand washing if combined with soap and vigorous lathering for 20 seconds.
The boil water order was issued Wednesday evening after an equipment malfunction caused the water system to lose pressure, potentially allowing bacteria to enter the water supply, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
On Thursday morning, water utility officials delivered samples of the city water from the affected area to the North Texas Municipal Water District for testing, and city officials expect to receive the test results sometime on Friday.
The City of Richardson will continue distributing free bottled water to persons in the affected area until the city water supply tests safe once again. The water is available for pickup at the Heights Recreation Center at 711 W. Arapaho Road. So far, the city has handed out 2,500 cases of bottled water. The Network of Community Ministries, the North Texas food Bank, and Texans on a Mission have assisted with the bottled water distribution effort, donating more than 20 pallets of bottled 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,” Richardson City Manager Don Magner said in a press release. “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.”
