Killeen Water and Sewer crews continue flushing system through the weekend amid boil water notice
(11:30a.m. Update) – The Bell County Water Control and Improvement District (WCID) has been working with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), City of Killeen and surrounding cities throughout the weekend on a chlorine conversion in the WCID water system. WCID is implementing a temporary disinfectant conversion from chloramines (chlorine and ammonia) to free chlorine to maintain the system and water quality—a process they say will continue through Nov. 21. During this time, customers in all areas may experience taste and odor changes associated with temporary disinfectant conversion.
Today crews have moved their emphasis from the conversion at the City’s take-point tanks, to the conversion at the City’s five elevated storage tanks (ESTs), which are in the distribution system. Water and Sewer crews have been flushing the system non-stop throughout the weekend and samples are being taken and tested. On Saturday, the chlorine conversion began in the City’s water system take points and crews will continue flushing until chlorine levels are stable.
The City of Killeen issued a city-wide boil water (BWN) notice on Oct. 19 after our daily and quarterly testing, which found chlorine residuals below TCEQ guidelines in samples taken from six of nine sites. Monthly testing also occurs regularly.
Once samples are sent to a lab, the 24-hour testing will begin. Per State law, the BWN notice cannot be lifted until the lab finds the samples acceptable. The City will await TCEQ’s guidance for lifting the BWN and TCEQ is hopeful to provide a better timeline on Monday.
“We’re continually testing the water coming into Killeen from WCID and are seeing chlorine residuals increase, however, until tests confirm that the chlorine residuals are throughout the entire system, we will remain under a boil water notice,” Jeffery Reynolds, Killeen Director of Public Works, said.
As a reminder, the City of Killeen is offering bottled water for those who do not have the ability to boil their own water. Please contact us at (254) 501-6315 for assistance. Please know all ten digits must be dialed. The Killeen Fire Department has delivered more than 30 cases of water to residents and the City has also delivered a Water Buffalo with potable water to the Killeen Animal Shelter for pets.
For general federal guidelines on how citizens should handle boil water advisories, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s site: https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/emergency/drinking/drinking-water-advisories/boil-water-advisory.html
For questions regarding WCID, please contact Ricky Garrett, General Manager of the Bell County WCID #1. WCID provides wholesale water service to the cities of Belton, Copperas Cove, Killeen, Harker Heights, Nolanville and the Fort Hood Military Reservation.
The City will continue to provide updates, as they become available. We encourage residents to sign up for the City Alerts on our website, killeentexas.gov, to stay up to date, as well.