The frigid weather has been rough all over, pipes included.

The city of Port Arthur issued boil water notices and low water pressure notices due to water leaks and busted pipes earlier Thursday.

Risa Carpenter, Port Arthur public information officer, said as of Thursday afternoon, crews didn’t know how long boil water notices and the low water pressure notices would last.

“It depends on the amount of water consumption when we can tell when the pressure builds up,” Carpenter said. “It depends how much the citizens use. We’re repairing these breaks.”

There were 50 leaks discovered earlier in the day. Crews reduced that number to 20 and they were working on five of them Thursday afternoon.

“Our crews and outside contractors are working as quickly as possible. We ask that citizens check their property and look for broken pipes and turn off the water at the meter, then call 409-983-8550.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality sets minimum water quality standards for public drinking water. One of these standards is loss of pressure in the distribution system.

The city of Port Arthur failed to meet the minimum pressure requirements on Jan. 17. Specifically, the pressure in the distribution system may have fallen below 20 psi within the city limits of Port Arthur.

Due to the nature and severity of this violation, the TCEQ has required the city to issue this public notice and advise customers to boil their water prior to consumption.

To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, any water that residents use for drinking, cooking and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to consumption. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil then boiled for two minutes.

In lieu of boiling, residents may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other source. When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, the city will notify residents.

Loss of pressure to 20 psi or less could allow a back siphon to occur and contaminate the distribution system. The back siphon could allow organisms including bacteria, viruses and parasites that can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea and associated headaches. These symptoms can be particularly severe in people who are not as resistant to infections as most of the population.

If you experience severe symptoms, please consult with your doctor to determine what actions you should take.

Mayor Derrick Freeman posted on Facebook the city of Port Arthur has issued a “Boil Water Notice” for the entire city.

“We have received over 200 calls of line breaks in the last 24 hours. Added to that many residents are opening their faucets to avoid pipe freezing,” he wrote. “The combination of the two has our system’s water pressure very low. Leading to us to request a boil notice out of an abundance caution. We are asking for 48 hours to regain pressure. Thanks for your patience.”

Due to the city’s water pressure issues, the Port Arthur Independent SD, like the city, is under a boil water notice, according to a press release from the district.

After discussion with city officials, the PAISD made the decision that students could be picked up from school Thursday, otherwise, PAISD made provisions for the students that must remain on campus.

“We are working with the shipping and receiving department to deliver bottled water to all campuses and our cafeteria workers are taking the necessary steps to ensure our food preparation is not inhibited by the low water pressure. Principals and staff are on hand to assist parents with the pick up process. We will continue to monitor this situation and update the community as time allows,” it read.

Lamar State College-Port Arthur followed suit. Restrooms and potable water were unavailable on campus. Because of this, LSCPA closed its campus immediately and will reopen the campus when conditions allow.

They urged faculty, staff and students to watch the college’s website (www.lamarpa.edu) and social media accounts for the latest information as we continue to monitor this situation.

In case of fires, the Port Arthur Fire Department fire engines contain a minimum 500-gallon water tank in case fire hydrants lose pressure. Likewise, neighboring fire departments such as Bridge City and LaBelle Fire Departments have big water tenders available.