A severe water main rupture in El Paso, Texas, has plunged more than 100,000 residents into a water crisis, with officials warning it could be midweek before normal service is restored.
An 'Unprecedented' Infrastructure Failure
The incident began late on Saturday night, 7 January 2023, when a critical 36-inch water main line failed. Gilbert Trejo, a senior official with El Paso Water, described the break as "an event of unprecedented proportion" for the city of approximately 700,000 people.
Trejo explained that the impact was exacerbated by the specific design of the pipeline and how smaller connecting lines were tied into it. The failure caused more than 15 water reservoirs to essentially drain, severely depleting the system's capacity.
Widespread Disruption and Emergency Response
The break directly affected around 38,000 customer connections, which translates to well over 100,000 people experiencing little to no water pressure. In immediate response, city officials issued a mandatory boil water notice for affected areas and established emergency water distribution centres for residents.
The disruption forced the cancellation of classes on Monday at more than a dozen schools within the El Paso Independent School District. Other educational facilities in the region remained open but operated under the strict boil water advisory.
Cause Unknown as Repair Work Begins
Authorities have stated that there is currently insufficient information to determine the exact cause of the catastrophic pipe failure. Investigation and repair efforts are now underway.
Gilbert Trejo has publicly asked for the community's patience as crews work to fix the breach and begin the meticulous process of refilling the system and restoring safe water flow to every neighbourhood.
Residents are urged to heed the boil notice until further updates are provided and to use the designated distribution points for obtaining safe drinking water while the crisis persists.
