City of Arlington lifts boil water advisory

The city of Arlington lifted its water boil notice Saturday morning following testing to ensure quality standards.

Arlington Water Utilities’ laboratories reported that all 22 tap water samples collected from sites across the city met the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality requirements, according to a city of Arlington press release.

The lift comes after residents were advised Wednesday to boil tap water before consumption because of a lack of water pressure in the city’s distribution system. The low water pressure meant bacteria could have been able to enter the water system and harm citizens.

Water pressure throughout the city returned to normal Friday, and Arlington Water Utilities began laboratory testing to ensure Texas Commission on Environmental Quality standards.

The boil notice caused Arlington restaurants and UTA dining areas to close.

Although the notice has been lifted, establishments must take several steps in order to reopen safely, according to a previous Shorthorn article. These include flushing water lines, discarding old ice production, replacing water filtration systems, and cleaning sink fixtures and dispensers. Once these steps are complete, businesses can resume normal operations.

The city of Arlington advises residents to flush their faucets, turn on the cold water tap and run the water for about two minutes. Begin with the faucet that is highest in your home and open other faucets one at a time from the highest floor to the lowest. 

For refrigerators with water dispensers and ice makers, the city advises residents to change the filter cartridges, throw out old ice, flush the dispenser for 3 to 5 minutes, run the ice maker for one hour, throw out all the ice and wash and sanitize the bin area.

news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu