FORT WORTH -- The water is safe to drink again in far north Fort Worth after an error with a water tank led to a boil water notice for several neighborhoods.
The City of Fort Worth says the affected area was bordered by Sendera Boulevard on the north, Willow Springs Road on the west, Haslet city limits on the east, and Bonds Ranch Road on the south. The boil water notice also included the Trails of Fossil Creek and the Fossil Hill subdivisions.
Friday morning the city said tests had been done on 40 samples of water and no bacteria was found.
"Our system has taken the necessary corrective actions to restore adequate pressure and has provided TCEQ with testing results that indicate the water no longer requires boilingm" the City said in a release.
The order affected six schools and between 3,500-to-5,000 homes. Officials blame an “operational error” that led to a draining of the an elevated water tank on Harmon Road, which resulted in the pressure dropping below 20 pounds per square inch in some areas. That drop could have made it possible for bacteria and other samples to enter the water system.
In all, the City says that drop lasted 10 minutes Wednesday night.
To ease the hassle of boiling water, the City immediately received a donation of a few thousand water bottles and also donated water from tanks at two local fire stations. Residents soon realized the water from the fire stations was discolored, and they were asked to get rid of it.
To remedy that, the City gathered several more thousand cases of water. News 8 watched three delivery trucks drop off water at Truett Wilson Middle School on Sendera Ranch Boulevard, where hundreds of cars drove through to pick up two or three cases.
Many worried about their health, having only heard about the possible contamination late this morning, after they used tap water to get themselves and their families ready for the day.
“If it was last night as I was cooking, or if it was when I made my morning coffee, before I knew of it I've already ingested some of it,” Shane Woods said.
Neighbors weren't taking any chances.
“I've got four little ones at home and my mother in law is visiting and she's elderly, so we need to be careful,” Peter Nelson said.
Neighbors in the affected areas will be able to pick up water all night and into the morning at Wilson Middle School and Eaton High School on Eagle Boulevard.
