ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) – The City of Round Rock said a water main that was brought back online this week has caused sediment to appear in customers’ water. Utility leaders said despite the water having a cloudy look, it is safe to drink and bathe with.
“We are seeing anything from what would appear to be normal clear water all the way to very off-color. Kind of rust-colored, darker water, and there’s almost an ever-present sediment,” Paul Pimentel said.
Pimentel lives west of IH-35 in Round Rock. He said last Thursday, he noticed tap water around his home looked muddy.
Over the next few days, he said pieces of sediment could be seen clinging on to his kid’s bath toys once the tub was drained.
“We just don’t feel comfortable drinking it and don’t feel like we’re getting enough of a response from the city that should be warranted,” Pimentel said.
Utilities Director explains strange appearance of water
City of Round Rock Utilities Director Michael Thane said the cloudy appearance of the water is a result of a main water line being brought back into the city’s system.
He said the main was down a few weeks ago after a break. Once the water was turned back on last Thursday, he said the biofilm that settled in the pipe was pushed out.
“The water is safe, we’ve tested it, we continue to test it continuously. We’ve never lost pressure in this line. It’s just from an aesthetic standpoint. It looks it doesn’t look clean,” Thane said.
Thane said crews have been going to hydrants in the neighborhoods affected to flush out the cloudy water. However, some customers may still see cloudiness over the next couple days.
“We’re encouraging residents when they do see it at their property. Preferably to go out to an outside spigot and flush that so that cloudiness and brownish water can be flushed out,” Thane said.
Thane said customers west of IH-35 are the most affected by this situation.
He said the water should run clear by the end of the week, but customers still experiencing a problem should call 512-218-5555 to report the issue.
