Press Releases
BPUB Flushing Out Pipes After Reports of Cloudy Water
BROWNSVILLE, TX – The Brownsville Public Utilities Board (BPUB) is currently flushing out pipes after it received some reports of cloudy water from customers in Los Pinos subdivision as well as Laredo Road and surrounding areas. Chlorine residuals came back within acceptable levels. Bacterial and chemical analysis results also came back negative Wednesday evening. This means the water is safe to consume and use. The area impacted is the area bordered by U.S. 77/83, West Alton Gloor Boulevard and FM 802.
A BPUB contractor along with BPUB personnel conducted a water audit of the distribution system overnight Tuesday. As part of the audit, all plants and valves were shut off to measure water losses, which meant there was a four-hour period last night where the city’s water system was running completely off its elevated storage tanks.
Shutting water off and on in large distribution lines can sometimes result in increased turbidity of the water and a greater amount of disturbed sediments in the water. Trace elements can be found in the pipes, and when that sediment is disturbed, it can cause the cloudiness that customers have reported.
After receiving reports of cloudy water, BPUB crews immediately began flushing out pipes in the area. This helps clear out the water and pipes. As a result of these efforts, the water in Los Pinos subdivision has already cleared up. Crews will continue to flush out the lines, moving south and west until the entire area has been cleared. Crews will work to complete this process by the end of the day today but will resume in the morning if needed.
A systemwide water audit is required every five years by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to help identify areas where water could be lost. The 2022 night audit was successfully completed overnight.
If customers need to report a problem with their water or any other service-related issue, they can use the BPUB outage app at https://assist.brownsville-pub.com or contact BPUB’s Customer Service Department at 956-983-6271.