Cottonwood Shores to shut off water Nov. 20 for line repair

UPDATE: As of 2:45 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21, the boil water notice has been lifted, according to a statement by the city of Cottonwood Shores.

UPDATE: As of 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 20, crews completed repair of the water main, city officials said. Residents should boil water for the next 24 to 48 hours as the city has water samples sent for testing.

By Connie Swinney
Staff Writer

Cottonwood Shores city officials have sent an alert to residents about a five-hour water shut-off period to repair a break in the municipality's main water line.

Residents will be without water from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20, so that crews can repair a broken joint in the 8-inch line.

“It's still leaking but we're keeping up with the water. We had to get some parts in, specialty parts,” City Administrator J.C. Hughes said. “We're trying to get everyone some advance notice. Hopefully, let everyone get to school and work. Restaurants will need to get bulk water.”

The water line break, reported on Monday, Nov. 18, is located on West Cottonwood Drive and Castle Mountain.

After the line is repaired and the system is turned back on, residents will need to boil water for domestic use, Hughes said.

“Anywhere from 24 to 48 hours until further notice,” he said. The city will test samples per regulation by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Users should bring the water to a boil for at least two minutes and then cool it off for consumption.

Officials suspect shifts in the ground caused by weather conditions may be to blame for the break of a relatively new water line.

“What causes these kind of water breaks is cold and then hot weather which we've had recently,” he said. “It just makes the ground move.

“It is our major water line coming from the water plant that services the city,” he added. “We've had other minor leaks, but this is a break. Unfortunately that's always a weak point.”