Water service: Line break led to boil order

NEW BOSTON, Texas — A water line break that led to a boil order for about 800 Central Bowie County Water Supply Corp. customers has been repaired.

The water service, which is on U.S. Highway 82, has collected samples since the repair and sent them for testing.

“If results come back good, we should be able to rescind the notice by noon tomorrow (Friday),” General Manager Hal Harris said Thursday to the Gazette.

Harris said the break happened at 2 a.m. Wednesday in a line along Texas Highway 98, near the Barry B. Telford state prison.

The prison has a separate water supply so was not affected, Harris said.

The age of the line — “It’s rather old pipe” — a change in temperature and ground movement contributed to the break, Harris said.

“It looks like it may have been leaking the day before,” Harris said, referencing water data from Tuesday.

By early Wednesday, what were likely a few cracks in the line eventually became a pipe break, he said.

The break drained two storage tanks and resulted in an overall loss of about 500,000 gallons. It caused a loss or a reduction in pressure for customers between the Red River and U.S. Highway 67, and state Highway 8 and Farm to Market roads 2789 and 990, according to a Wednesday news release.

By 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Central Bowie crews at found and repaired the line.

The boil order notice was issued at 11:30 a.m.

“To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes,” according to the notice.

The recommended boil time is two minutes.

The water service suggests boiling water used for washing face and hands, brushing teeth and drinking.

For information, call Harris at 903-628-5601.