POSTED: Sunday, February 6, 2011 - 12:48pm
UPDATED: Monday, February 7, 2011 - 11:42am
City Of El Paso's Water Supply Short By Millions Of Gallons
EL PASO - Due to continued severe water shortage, El Paso Water Utilities extends its 24-hour water restriction until further notice.
EPWU instituted restrictions Saturday, urging neighbors to not wash cars, dishes, clothes, or shower.
EPWU spokeswoman Christina Montoya advised people to boil their tap water before consumption.
"This is a precautionary measure because low water levels in the reservoirs and broken pipes on private properties can lead to possible contamination in the water supply," she said.
Montoya said EPWU crews are working non-stop to repair and monitor the water system.
"On a normal winter day, EPWU pumps 71 million gallons per day into the distribution system, and yesterday about 115 gallons were pumped into the system," Montoya said.
"The water system is still recovering from the freezing temperatures that caused damage to our facilities, and the rolling blackouts that EPWU participated in to conserve electricity," she added.
The agency said it would update the community on the water emergency throughout the day, so look for updates on ktsm.com and on NewsChannel 9.