A water main break in west Texas could leave the 165,000 residents in and around Odessa with little or no water for 48 hours, officials said Tuesday, just as a heat wave grips the city.
There’s an “imminent threat” of “severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property” looming in the famed oil boom town due to a “main water line failure,” according to a declaration of disaster from the Ector County Office of Emergency Management.
“The loss of potable water is expected to be forty-eight hours at this time,” the declaration said.
The water main break couldn’t have come at worse time for Odessa as residents face an early summer heat wave with high temperatures forecast for 99 degrees on Tuesday, 98 on Wednesday and 96 on Thursday.
Crews are working as fast as possible to repair the break underneath the intersection of 42nd and San Jacinto Streets, according to a city statement.
Despite best efforts of workers, the city said repairs are “taking longer than anticipated.”
“Water levels have reached a point that a Boil Water Notice has been issued,” the city added. “Citizens should expect a significant loss in water pressure and/or no water at all. A significant portion of the community remains without water at this time.”
The city will give away water at two locations, McKinney Park and Ector County Coliseum, with a limit of once case per car.
Steve Strouss and Suzanne Ciechalski contributed.
Source: NBC News
