Sewage Spill Prompts Boil Water Notice In North Austin

AUSTIN, TX — A sewer discharge caused by an accidental pipe rupture by construction workers in North Austin on Friday prompted utility officials to issue warnings to adjacent residents.

Some 50,000 gallons of wastewater spilled at 7011 W. Parmer Lane just after 12:10 p.m. when nearby work crews inadvertently ruptured a line. Austin Water officials assured the overflow did not reach area waterways, and the discharge was contained inside an excavated construction trench.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regulatory agency was alerted to the spill, officials said in an emailed advisory, and utility crews have launched cleanup efforts. Despite such mitigating efforts, Austin Water officials outlined precautions for nearby residents in light of the spill:

• People using private drinking water supply wells located within 1/2-mile of the overflow site or within the potentially affected area should use only water that has been distilled or boiled at a rolling boil for at least two minutes for all personal uses including drinking, cooking, bathing, and tooth brushing. Individuals with private water wells should have their well water tested and disinfected, if necessary, prior to discontinuing distillation or boiling.
• Persons who purchase water from another public water supply may contact their water supply distributor to determine if the water is safe for personal use.
• The public should avoid contact with waste material, soil, or water in the area potentially affected by the overflow.
• If the public comes into contact with waste material, soil, or water potentially affected by the spill, they should bathe and wash clothes thoroughly as soon as possible.