The City of Commerce has cancelled the boil water notice and water usage restrictions that had been in place since a major leak in the city’s delivery system depleted the municipal water supply. Shortly after noon Saturday, the city sent out a notice lifting the boil notice and restrictions.
The use restrictions were announced late Wednesday night, when a slow leak in a major pipeline accelerated to the point that most water coming to Commerce from Lake Tawakoni was draining into the South Sulphur River. The leak occurred just west of State Highway 24, at the South Sulphur River bridge immediately south of the Commerce city limits. Shortly after midnight that night, the city issued a boil water notice.
Various public agencies around the region helped the City of Commerce respond to the emergency. On Thursday and Friday, bottled water was distributed to local residents at First Baptist Church Commerce, Mount Moriah Temple Baptist Church, and on the campus of Texas A&M University-Commerce. Those sites also served as cooling stations.
Work crews began mitigation measures Wednesday night and continued working at the site through the end of the week. Water pressure was restored in most areas by Thursday morning. Dissolved mineral solids, dislodged from pipes during the changes in pressure and flow, visibly discolored water delivered by the system. Portable toilets were also placed at several locations around town, in case the city lost water supply or pressure.
During the boil notice, locals were advised to boil their water for two minutes before using for drinking or cooking. Outdoor water use was prohibited and locals were asked to use water indoors for essential purposes only.
Following the cancellation of the notices on Saturday, Commerce residents may once again use water normally.
Work to replace that section of pipeline began about two weeks before the worsening of the leak. The acceleration of the leak was not related to any work being done by contractors, City Manager Howdy Lisenbee said during a live on-air interview on KETR Friday morning.
Contractors are completing a temporary bypass pipeline, located above ground that will allow for normal water delivery through a July. The permanent underground pipeline could be completed sometime in early August, Lisenbee said.
