Leander Boil Water Notice In Effect After Line Break

LEANDER, TX — Residents at the Travisso subdivision should continue to boil their water as city officials await lab results to test the quality of after a line was damaged on Monday.

The water line was accidentally damaged by contractors during construction at around 6 p.m. Monday, according to a city advisory. Lab results for water quality analysis typically take up to 48 hours to be delivered, officials noted.

All residents of the Travisso subdivision are affected, according to the notice, and should continue boiling their water before consumption until further notice. Once the lab results are received, residents will be alerted when it's safe to ingest tap water without boiling, officials added.

See map of affected area here

As directed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), city officials issued affected residents a notice. While it is not likely contamination has occurred, city officials wrote, residents are urged to follow the following state guidelines:

"To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to consumption," the notice reads. "The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes. In lieu of boiling, you may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source. When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, the water system officials will notify you.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer additional guidelines (external link) to boil water notice recipients regarding drinking water, food preparation and handwashing. The concern following such line ruptures is the potential emergence of harmful microbes such as coliform or E. coli bacteria that can make people ill.

Residents with further questions are directed to call the Public Works Department at 512-259-2640.

The rupture marked the second time in 12 days that a water line has been breached locally. On Jan. 14 at around 6:30 p.m., residents were alerted to a water line break along Sonny Drive east of Bagdad Road and west of Moon Glow Drive. Two days later, city officials lifted a boil water notice after lab tests showed no presence of total coliform or E. coli bacteria contamination.