URGENT NOTICE ~ EFFECTIVE 7pm, August 7, 2009

Water has been restored to all areas west of 81st Street. City crews successfully installed two generators at the Airport Water Pump Station this afternoon and repowered the facility.
Officials caution residents that water pressure will remain low while the system re-pressurizes. Water pressure will continue to fluctuate until the entire system refills. This process will take several hours to complete.

A boiled water notice remains in effect for all areas on Galveston Island west of 81st Street, including Treasure Island in Brazoria County. As a precaution, for the next 48 hours, or until the City of Galveston withdraws the notice, individuals are instructed to boil their water or rely on bottled water for drinking and cooking. Once the City has sampled and tested the water in accordance with TCEQ regulations, the boil water notice will be lifted. At that time, residents and business owners will need to flush their own lines by turning on indoor and outdoor faucets, both hot and cold taps, and allowing water to run for several minutes. Galveston officials are requesting all property owners west of 81st Street to turn off their irrigation systems and refrain from any outdoor watering until further notice.

"It is imperative to conserve water this weekend," stated Brandon Wade, Deputy City Manager. "Our storage tanks are empty and we must concentrate on providing water for indoor use. This means no outdoor watering, period," he added. Water service for all areas west of 81st Street, including Jamaica Beach, was disrupted earlier today due to an electrical fire that broke out at 1:56 am this morning at the City of Galveston's Airport Pump Station. The fire caused significant damage to the electrical circuit that powers the facility. The Galveston City Council convened an emergency meeting at noon today and authorized $100,000 in funding for temporary repairs. It's likely that generators will power the pump station for the next several weeks until permanent repairs are completed. City officials believe the fire started as a result of latent Hurricane Ike damage.