(GERMANY OUT) pot is cooking on a too large stove top (Photo by Wodicka/ullstein bild via Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, Texas - A boil water notice is in effect for the Ventana neighborhood in Southwest Fort Worth, the city says.
What we know:
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality requires customers in the affected area to boil their water prior to consumption.
This includes water used for washing your hands and face, brushing your teeth, drinking, and cooking.
The city issued the notice as a precaution because the water pressure dropped below the minimum levels required by state regulations.
A drop in pressure creates the possibility for harmful bacteria to enter the public water system. Children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to these bacteria.
Impacted areas
An interactive map can be found on the City of Fort Worth's website.
Customers can search by their specific address to see if they fall inside the affected area.
The pressure drop does not impact the City of Benbrook or the Benbrook Water Authority.
What you can do:
The city set up a bottled water distribution site at Ventana Parkway and Barco Road for customers in the affected area.
Officials will hand out water on Thursday, Oct. 15, from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and on Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
The city limits distribution to one case of water per car.
FILE - A photo illustration of water in a clear glass drinking glass.
What we don't know:
Officials do not know the exact time they will lift the boil water notice.
The city must wait for test results before declaring the water safe for regular consumption.
What's next:
The city will take bacteriological samples within the affected area to confirm the water is safe to drink.
The testing process takes 24 hours to complete.
Once the water is safe for human consumption, Fort Worth will issue a rescission notice to customers to officially end the mandate.
The Source: The information in this article comes from the City of Fort Worth.