REPAIRS MADE TO BURTON WATER WELL; CITY ENTERS STAGE 5 OF DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN, BOIL WATER NOTICE IN EFFECT

  

The City of Burton’s water well is running again, but drought contingency measures are in effect until the water supply is at normal levels.

Burton Mayor Karen Buck issued a press release this (Thursday) afternoon stating that the motor at the bottom of the water well has been replaced, and that the city’s water storage tanks are filling back up, but it would take several hours before the city is at full capacity again.

During that time, the city is going into Stage 5 – Emergency of its Drought Contingency Plan and putting a boil water notice into effect.

In the Emergency stage of the Drought Contingency Plan, the city prohibits:

• Irrigation of landscaped areas,
• Using water to wash any motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane or other vehicle,
• Filling, refilling or adding water to swimming pools, wading pools and Jacuzzi-type pools,
• Operating any ornamental fountain or pond for aesthetic or scenic purposes, except where necessary to support aquatic life or if such fountains or ponds are equipped with a recirculation system.

Buck said the city is following Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) standards for the boil water notice, and that the city will let the public know as soon as possible when the notice and/or the Emergency Drought Contingency Plan are lifted.

Buck thanked city staff members, the city’s water contractor, HDU, and the water well crew with J&S Drilling in getting the water well back online.  She also thanked Washington County Emergency Management Coordinator Bryan Ruemke, Precinct 4 County Commissioner Dustin Majewski, Cody Neutzler from the Texas Division of Emergency Management and David Mann from the TCEQ.

Below is the notice sent to City of Burton residents:

Thank you for your patience as contractors and city officials worked to resolve our water issues here in town today.  Here is the update we have all been waiting for.

The motor at the bottom of the well has been replaced.

Currently, our water storage tanks are filling back up.  It will take hours before we are at full capacity once again.

In the meantime, two things will need happen.  First, the City of Burton is being placed under Stage 5 EMERGENCY of our Drought Contingency Plan.  Second, the City of Burton will be placed under a Boil Water Notice.

About the EMERGENCY Drought Contingency Plan - Irrigation of landscaped areas is absolutely prohibited.  The use of water to wash any motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane or other vehicle is absolutely prohibited.  The filling, refilling, or adding of water to swimming pools, wading pools, and Jacuzzi-type pools is prohibited. Operation of any ornamental fountain or pond for aesthetic or scenic purposes is prohibited except where necessary to support aquatic life or where such fountains or ponds are equipped with a recirculation system.

More information about the Boil Water Notice will be provided in a secondary call as we follow TCEQ standards.

Our hope is that both the EMERGENCY Drought Contingency Plan and the Boil Water Notice are short-lived.  We will let you know when one and/or both is/are lifted as soon as possible.

Again, thank you for your patience.