According to the city, people using private drinking water supply wells within a half-mile radius of the spill site should boil water before using it.
BALCH SPRINGS, Texas — The City of Balch Springs is dealing with the aftermath of a sanitary sewer overflow that was caused by a “mechanical joint failure” on a sewer main line.
According to a press release from the city, on Thursday night, Dallas Water Utilities reported a sanitary sewer leak on Echo Lake Drive in Dallas near Hickory Creek at around 4:50 p.m. Within 20 minutes of receiving notification, crews with the Utilities Department arrived on site to verify the overflow.
The city said the overflow was estimated to be going at 1000 gallons per minute when the pumps were running and by midnight, over 100,000 gallons of sanitary sewer overflow had gone into Hickory Creek.
According to the city, the repair on the main line was completed at about 9 a.m. Friday. The city said it would check to make sure there were no negative effects on the creek once the water recedes as it was already experiencing heavy flow due to recent rain.
“Although the City of Balch Springs has experienced this leak of domestic wastewater, the public drinking water is not affected and continues to be safe for consumption,” the city said in a press release. “The city has notified the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, as well as the City of Dallas Environmental Department Staff regarding the spill.”
For precautionary reasons, the city suggests that people using a private drinking water supply within a half-mile of the spill site should boil their water for at least one minute before personal uses including drinking, bathing, cooking and brushing their teeth.
The city said those who purchase water from a public water supply can contact their distributor to verify that it is safe for personal use.
Lastly, the city asks that the public avoid contact with waste material, soil or water in the area of the spill.
