GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas — Grand Prairie ISD announced that it will remain closed Friday. This follows Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jensen's announcement ending the "do not use water" advisory for residents who live north of Interstate 20.
In a statement, the district told WFAA they still have to flush several water supplies in their schools following the announcement.
"Grand Prairie ISD has several steps we must take to ensure each campus has safe water for our students before they return to school," the district said in a statement to WFAA. "In order for our Maintenance and Operations team to perform all the necessary steps needed at our 36 campuses, we will close tomorrow, Friday, September 6, 2024."
This will be the third consecutive day that the school district is closed.
Grand Prairie ISD said it will be offering grab-and-go lunch for students tomorrow from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the following locations:
- Ochoa STEM Academy at Ben Milam Elementary - 2030 Proctor Drive
- Global Leadership Academy at Barbara Bush Elementary - 511 E. Springdale Lane
- Florence Hill Elementary - 4213 Robinson Road
- Travis World Language Academy - 525 N. E. 15th St.
- Rayburn Elementary STEAM Academy - 2800 Reforma Drive
- Bowie Fine Arts Academy - 425 Alice Drive
- Daniels Academy of Science and Math - 801 M L King Jr. Blvd.
- Jackson Middle School - 350 Corn Valley Road
Students looking to get food from any of these locations are asked to bring their student IDs.
Here's a map of the affected area:
Grand Prairie water advisory
The advisory, which urged residents to avoid using tap water for any reason other than flushing toilets, was issued Tuesday night after officials detected a "foaming agent" in the city's water supply.
According to the CDC, a "do not use water advisory" is issued when local health authorities believe that a community's water supply has been contaminated with harmful chemicals, toxins, germs, or radioactive materials.
Under this advisory, any contact, even with the skin, lungs, or eyes can be dangerous.
The city said they're investigating the issue and working to isolate the affected area.
City officials said they were giving away bottled water to residents in the front parking lot of City Hall at 300 W. Main St. on Tuesday night. The giveaway will continue into Friday, according to Mayor Ron Jensen.
What is a foaming agent?
While Grand Prairie officials have not said what the "foaming agent" found in the water supply is, they generally cause water to create a foam when it mixes with air, according to KnowYourH2O water research.
Foaming agents can create a bitter, oily and fishy taste in water, and the water could also appear cloudy. In high dosages, foaming agents can cause gastrointestinal problems.