AUSTIN, Texas — Austin Water officials said 125,000 gallons of wastewater overflowed into the Bull Creek watershed on Monday morning after an equipment malfunction.
The incident happened at an Austin Water lift station near Rock Harbour Drive in West Austin. Lift stations are the part of the infrastructure that help move sewage through sewer lines to Austin Water’s wastewater treatment plants.
Austin Water said the overflow is not affecting the city's drinking water supply. However, if you have a private drinking water well within a half-mile of the overflow site, you are asked to boil your water for at least a minute before using it.
Officials discovered the overflow at 9:26 a.m. and were able to stop it 14 minutes later. Recovery, hauling and cleanup is underway.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has been notified of the situation, Austin Water said.
The public is asked to avoid contact with waste material, soil or water in the area potentially affected by the overflow. Anyone who comes into contact with waste material should bathe and wash their clothes thoroughly as soon as possible.