Update Oct. 24 - 10:49 a.m.: At Tuesday night's Pflugerville City Council meeting, Pflugerville Mayor Victor Gonzalez detailed why the city's water system, despite drawing water from the Colorado River system, went unaffected by the city of Austin's boil water advisory. "The city of Pflugerville is not having any issue treating water or distributing water," Gonzalez said Tuesday night. Per Gonzalez, Pflugerville uses Lake Pflugerville, which typically pumps water in from the Colorado River system, as the city's municipal water source. However, consistent rainfall prompted city officials on Oct. 17 to shut Lake Pflugerville's pump off after the lake filled with water. That is why the city of Pflugerville had no problems with intake from the city of Austin or the Colorado River over the weekend. The mayor further stated that the city's water system was intentionally designed to pump into Lake Pflugerville so any particulate matter drawn into the system will settle into the lake. The city's water treatment facilities then have a filter to catch such particulate matter, according to Gonzalez. Update Oct. 24 - 9:45 a.m.: Water distribution site opens at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex Williamson County Emergency Management opened a water distribution site at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex Wednesday morning for county residents who are affected by the boil water notice. County residents with special needs, are unable to boil water or need bottled water for work may pick up water from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. except Friday when the site will be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The complex is located at 10211 W. Parmer Lane. Update Oct. 23 - 5:02 p.m.: Municipal Utility Districts Listed below are MUDs in Round Rock, Pflugerville or Hutto that have announced on their websites that their systems are affected by the city of Austin boil water advisory. This is not a comprehensive list of MUDs possibly affected by the boil water advisory: Northtown MUD Wells Branch MUD Original post: Water customers in the city of Austin are currently under a boil water advisory after historic water levels have overwhelmed the city’s water treatment system with tremendous amounts of silt. On Tuesday morning, Travis County Chief Emergency Management Coordinator Eric Carter told the Commissioners Court the boil water notice for the city of Austin could last up to two weeks, though city of Austin officials have since walked back that assertion. In Austin’s surrounding communities, the boil water advisory has caused some confusion and concern among water purchasers. Below is information you need to know about the city of Austin’s boil water advisory if you are a resident in Round Rock, Pflugerville or Hutto. ROUND ROCK The city of Round Rock on Monday posted on its website that none of the city’s water is treated through the city of Austin’s water treatment system. As a result, residents on the city of Round Rock’s water system are unaffected by the city of Austin’s boil water advisory. ROUND ROCK ISD Several Round Rock ISD schools are city of Austin water customers and are therefore affected by the boil water notice. The school district said bottled water will be provided and that Food Services will take necessary precautions with food preparation for students. BRUSHY CREEK Brushy Creek MUD water customers are free to use and consume water regularly, per a post on the utility district’s website. The post stated that the district’s water treatment facility has not been affected by recent flooding. PFLUGERVILLE On Oct. 22, Pflugerville officials posted that city of Pflugerville water is safe to consume. “Due to the benefits of the Lake Pflugerville surface water and our treatment process, there is no concern for Pflugerville water customers at this time,” the city said in a post published on its website Oct. 22. Pflugerville officials also stated in that post that the city was assured from Southwest Water Company and Manville Water that their customers are not affected by the city of Austin’s advisory. PFLUGERVILLE ISD Eleven Pflugerville ISD campuses are city of Austin water customers and were affected by the Oct. 22 boil water advisory, according to a post on the district’s Facebook page. The district said bottled water and hand sanitizing stations are being made available to students and staff and a plan is in place for meal preparation throughout affected campuses.
HUTTO City of Hutto Director of Communications Reena O’Brien on Tuesday told Community Impact Newspaper that the city’s water system has not been affected by recent high water levels and its water is safe to consume and use and regular levels. HUTTO ISD Hutto ISD officials told Community Impact Newspaper that the district is not affected by the boil water advisory. FORECAST The National Weather Service has declared a Hazardous Weather Outlook for the area, forecasting that moderate rain Tuesday night will turn into heavy rains that continue into Wednesday. Rainfall amounts of 2-3 inches are possible with isolated totals up to 4 inches, according to the weather service. WATER AVAILABILITY As of 1:20 p.m., Oct. 23, H-E-B grocery stores in Round Rock, Pflugerville and Hutto are stocked with bottled water, though water purchase restrictions are under effect at several of those locations. H-E-B told Community Impact Newspaper that 275 trucks with 4,000 pallets of water have delivered to Austin-area stores on Monday and Tuesday. Some stores have more pallets in stock, while others are waiting on more deliveries.