Leak leads to water conservation notice in Galveston

Restrictions, which include no washing vehicles, will go into effect Wednesday

A premature water conservation notice was issued by the city of Galveston on Monday after a water line serving residents throughout Galveston County sprung a leak, but the water restrictions won’t go into effect until Wednesday.

The city will be under a Stage 5 water conservation notice beginning midnight on Wednesday. The Gulf Coast Water Authority, the city’s water supplier, will assess a leak in a 42-inch water line near the Bayou Vista exit on Interstate 45.

The city had issued the conservation alert starting Monday, but the water authority won’t be able to repair the leak until Wednesday. The cause of the leak is unclear.

“The Gulf Coast Water Authority, they’re not going to get into the line until Wednesday morning, so we don’t want to restrict people before them,” said Marissa Barnett, a spokeswoman for the city of Galveston.

The fifth stage of Galveston’s water conservation plan means that all irrigation of landscaped areas with potable water is prohibited. Use of potable water to wash any motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer airplane or other vehicle is also banned.

The water authority shut down the line during the assessment, and water will be re-routed to the city of Galveston through other water lines starting Tuesday. The city also will reduce water pressure as a precautionary measure, and curtail deliveries to wholesale water customers.

Galveston has prepared for this Gulf Coast Water Authority project by filling its water storage tanks.

The city is expected to have a better assessment on Tuesday of how much water the city is receiving from the water authority via the re-routed lines.

The 42-inch water line operated by the Gulf Coast Water Authority serves customers in Galveston, Tiki Island, Bayou Vista, Hitchcock and Santa Fe, as well as portions of La Marque, Dickinson and League City.

These restrictions will continue until further notice. During this time, the city will monitor water supply and demand on a constant basis and send notifications to the public every four hours. Local residents and businesses are encouraged to follow the city of Galveston’s social media pages for updates.