For the News

There is a boil water notice for Highway 73 to 4th Street between Highway 82 and Taft Ave. This includes the West Side, Pleasure Island and Sabine Pass.

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) sets minimum water quality standards for public drinking water. 

One of these standards is a loss of pressure in the distribution system. 

Loss of pressure of 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 anyone experiences severe symptoms they should talk to their doctor to determine what actions they should take.   The City of Port Arthur failed to meet the minimum treatment technique requirements on Sunday.  Specifically, the pressure in the distribution system may have fallen below 20 psi. The area of concern is Highway 73 to 4th Street between Highway 82 and Taft Ave.

This includes the West Side of Port Arthur including Sabine Pass, Pleasure Island, and to the east side of Port Arthur to Highway 366. Due to the nature and severity of this violation, the TCEQ has required the city to issue this public notice and to tell customers that they should boil their water prior to consumption. 

To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, any water that one uses 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, one 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.

A main water line break occurred near Savannah and 19th Street, it has been repaired at this time. If one seeks more information about the nature and significance of this violation, one may contact Dr. Jimmie Johnson or Donnie Stanton at (409) 983-8550.

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses).