Boil Notice Issued for Several Cities After Power Outage at Belton, Texas Water Plant

UPDATE 5-10-22 5:44 PM: The boil water order has officially been lifted in Copperas Cove, Harker Heights, and Belton. All three cities issued news releases Tuesday afternoon confirming that the order has been lifted and that testing by the TCEQ has confirmed that water is now safe to consume without boiling.

UPDATE FROM THE CITY OF HARKER HEIGHTS:

A power outage at the Belton Water Treatment Plant has prompted a boil notice for Ft. Hood, Copperas Cove, Killeen, Harker Heights, Nolanville, and Belton.

Each city issued news releases late Sunday afternoon informing residents of a power outage that occurred around 1PM at the  Bell County Water Control and Improvement District #1 plant in Belton. The outage followed a break in a 48-inch main transmission line that was reported Saturday and caused a loss in pressure.

WCID predict the boil notice will be in effect for at least 36 hours. Workers will need to restore pressure and disinfectant levels, then collect bacteriological samples so send to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for testing - particularly for e-coli tests, which can take up to 24 hours to return results.

Any water intended for drinking, cooking, or making ice should be boiled and cooled prior to human consumption. The TCEQ recommends a vigorous rolling boil of at least two minutes.

Killeen and Harker Heights have both asked residents to adhere to strict (though voluntary) water conservation efforts for at least 24 hours, requesting that citizens not use any water service unless it is absolutely necessary.

Officials say they'll notify residents when the order is lifted and service is fully restored. We'll let you know as well.

If you're ordering takeout or visiting any local restaurants or other businesses that serve drinks, please be patient with the staff and know that they may not be able to offer their full menu at the moment due to the boil notice.

If you have any questions or concerns, you're asked to contact your city's public works department or Killeen Boil Water Notice Hotline at (254) 501-6515.