City of Laredo issues update as boil water notice lifted in north Laredo

Photos taken at H-E-B Plus on Saturday night show that Laredoans have started buying water en masse after a Boil Water alert was announced affecting the whole of Laredo. Photos taken at H-E-B Plus on Saturday night show that Laredoans have started buying water en masse after a Boil Water alert was announced affecting the whole of Laredo. Photo: Jason Mack/Laredo Morning Times Photo: Jason Mack/Laredo Morning Times Image 1 of / 11 Caption Close City of Laredo issues update as boil water notice lifted in north Laredo 1 / 11 Back to Gallery

The City of Laredo issued a boil water notice on Saturday, September 28, out of an abundance of caution as mandated by the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality (TCEQ) due to lower levels of chlorine found in routine testing than what is required by the state.

READ MORE: Mayor releases statement after water boil notice extended city-wide

We want to clarify that there has never been any bacteria in our city water. In the meantime, the public can consume tap water after it has been boiled for three minutes. The City of Laredo will be providing updates through local media and social media. You can also call 3-1-1 if you have any questions.

The City of Laredo is urging the public not to panic or rush to buy water. Anyone price gouging water in the city will be prosecuted.

The City of Laredo Health Department has been continuously testing our municipal water supply and all tests have shown that our water is SAFE. The City is communicating with TCEQ to determine when the boil water notice can be lifted.

To be clear, it is safe to do the following with your tap water:

Shower or bathe

Water your lawn or plants

Wash and dry your hands (however, if you are preparing food or baby formula, use antibacterial gel)

Use water for pets or livestock

For those areas affected, in order to consume water, you must boil your water for at least three minutes. Even if you have a water softener or water filtration system, you must boil your water before consuming. Any commercial water dispensers, (i.e. water mills), must follow the same boil water notice.

Use boiled water to wash produce, to use in humidifiers, and to wash dishes. Do not consume ice, either in your home or at restaurants, unless the ice has been store-bought or made from previously boiled water. All fruits and vegetables at grocery stores are safe to consume.

Beginning tomorrow (Monday, September 30) at 12:00 p.m., as part of our routine bi-annual procedure, the City of Laredo water treatment plant will convert from chloramines disinfection to free chlorine disinfection for a period of 14 days. As with previous conversions to free chlorine, the public can expect a more noticeable chlorine odor in their water and perhaps cloudiness on rare occasions.

As of this afternoon, the area indicated in the map below has been lifted from the boil water notice. Residents who live in area in shaded in gray in the map below no longer need to boil their water. Everyone who lives in the area highlighted in yellow in the map below still needs to continue to boil their water until further notice.

You can also view the map here: http://www.cityoflaredo.com/advisories/pressurezones.pdf

READ MORE: Laredo schools will hold classes as scheduled in light of boil water notice

Boil water notices are not uncommon. It is important to note that Laredo is not the exception. Austin, Fort Worth, Houston and Corpus Christi, amongst others have all recently experienced boil water notices.

For health concerns, please call the City of Laredo Health Department (956) 795-4920.