Water Main Break Updates & Resources for Affected Residents
*Note: This page will be updated every few hours with any new pertinent information regarding resources for Northeast residents.
El Paso Water Utilities: “Early this morning, a very large water main broke near the intersection of Girl Scout and Transmountain, near Skyline Park in Northeast El Paso. This significant break has caused thousands of customers in the surrounding area to experience little to no water service, including Northeast and parts of Central El Paso.
Our crews have been on-site throughout the night and continue working under very challenging conditions. The volume of water involved, the complexity of this section of the water system and freezing temperatures have made repairs difficult. This large pipeline is connected to several smaller distribution lines, and as a result of the break, approximately 15 water reservoirs in the area were drained.
We understand how disruptive this situation is for our customers and sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. At this time, it is expected to take a minimum of several hours—and potentially up to 24 hours—before water service is restored for all affected customers. Even customers who currently have water service may experience outages later today as crews work to refill reservoirs and stabilize the system. Residents in the area who have water are encouraged to prepare by filling containers or bathtubs with water, if possible.
Please note that while initial service restoration may occur within the next day, full repairs to the water main could take several days to complete.”
To support impacted residents, we are working to deploy water tankers at the following locations:
- Sue Young Park
- Arlington Park
- Sunrise Park
- Chisholm Park (across from Clendenin Elementary School)
Please refer to El Paso Water social media pages for updates as they become available. The City of El Paso and the Office of Emergency Management are working closely with EP Water on the matter.
UPDATE: Due to the water main break in Northeast El Paso, resources have been deployed to 4 sites in order to provide residents with water. Residents are advised to bring containers with them to be filled. The following parks have resources on site, are staffed by EP Water, and will have water available for residents in need:
Sue Young Park, 9730 Diana Drive, 79924
Arlington Park, 103050 Pasadena Circle, 79924
Sunrise Park, 3800 Sunrise Avenue, 79904
LTC Robert Chisolm Park, 2701 Harrison Avenue, 79930 *This site is distributing water bottles.
SCHOOL CLOSURES ON MONDAY
School closures have been confirmed by multiple districts with campuses in the affected North East areas. Please visit respective school websites for more information. Districts will be notifying affected parents of closures.
YISD Closures:
- Parkland HS
- Parkland MS
- Parkland ES
- Parkland PreK
- Dolphin Terrace ES
- Desertaire ES
- North Star ES
EPISD Closures:
- Andress HS,
- Irvin HS,
- Transmountain ECHS
- Charles MS
- Magoffin MS
- Navarette MS
- Bobby Joe Hill Pk-8
- Barron ES
- Travis ES
- Duran ES
- Stanton ES
- Torres ES
- Whittaker ES
EPCC Transmountain Campus and Harmony School Of Innovation ES, MS, & HS on Fairbanks have confirmed closures as well.
UPDATE: El Paso Water Issues Boil Water Notification
EPWater is issuing a boil water notice to customers impacted by the large main break in Central and Northeast El Paso and some parts of McGregor Range on January 11, 2026 (see map attached). Water pressure in the system is low due to low or empty levels in several water reservoirs, prompting precautionary measures.
Potential Adverse Health Effects
Due to the conditions, there is a possibility of contamination. Consumption of contaminated water may cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches.
What Should Customers Do?
- To ensure that water is safe, boil all water intended for consumption.
- To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking and for making ice should be boiled and cooled prior to consumption. The water should be brought to a vigorous, rolling boil for three minutes.
- In lieu of boiling water, you may use bottled water.
- Businesses should not use drinking fountains or soda fountains that rely on tap water.
To view the affected area, see outage map from EP Water: https://www.epwater.org/outage-map
STATE OF TEXAS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE REGISTRY
The “STEAR” Program assists Emergency Managers in planning and allocating assets in the event of an active emergency. The STEAR program is a free registry that provides local emergency planners and emergency responders with additional information on the needs in their community. Plan ahead and register for STEAR if you or a family may need specific assistance during an emergency. Registering yourself in the STEAR registry DOES NOT guarantee that you will receive a specific service during an emergency. For more information on STEAR, visit: https://www.tdem.texas.gov/response/state-of-texas-emergency-assistance-registry. Register online at https://stear.texas.gov/ or call 2-1-1 for assistance with registering.
Please visit https://www.epwater.org/ or EP Water social media accounts to keep up to date with the latest news on the water main break in NE El Paso.
UPDATED WATER DISTRIBUTION SITES
UPDATE: Additional water distribution sites have been opened. These locations will be staffed and operated 24 hours. Reminder to residents, please bring your own containers. Bottled waters are restocked at select sites as they become available.
Sue Young Park, 9730 Diana Drive, 79924
Arlington Park, 103050 Pasadena Circle, 79924
Sunrise Park, 3800 Sunrise Avenue, 79904
Robert “Bob” Chisolm Park, 2701 Harrison Avenue, 79930
North Skies Park, 7073 Copper Town Drive, 79934
NEW WATER DISTRIBUTION SITES (as of Monday afternoon 01/12/2026)
Veterans Park, 5301 Salem Drive, 79924
Chapin High School (Operated by Fort Bliss), 7000 Dyer Street, 79904
Navarette Middle School (Operated by Fort Bliss), 3501 Hayes Avenue, 79930
Grandview Park, 3100 Jefferson Avenue, 79930
UPDATE: Schools have announced continued closures for Tuesday, please refer to your respective district website for details.
EPISD Confirmed Closures for Tuesday January 13, 2026
- Clendenin Elementary
- Park Elementary
- Canyon Hills Middle
- Navarrete Middle
The following campuses will be Open on Tuesday 1/13/2026, but remain under the Boil Water Notice. Please prepare students accordingly.
- Andress High
- Irvin High
- Transmountain Early College at EPCC
- Charles Middle
- Magoffin Middle
- Bobby Joe Hill PK8
- Barron Elementary
- Bliss Elementary
- Duran Elementary
- Stanton Elementary
- Torres Elementary
- Travis Elementary
- Whitaker Elementary
BOIL WATER NOTICE FAQs
Why has a Boil Water Notice been issued?
This is a precautionary public health measure due to low system pressure, which can allow contaminants to enter. As a safety measure, boil and cool all water used for drinking, cooking, and making ice before consumption.
What is the best practice for the Boil Water notice?
Do not drink the water without boiling it first. Bring water to a rolling boil for at least 3 minutes, then cool it, or use bottled water. Use boiled or bottled water for drinking, ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, food preparation, and pets. Discard any ice made during the notice period, as freezing does not kill bacteria. The water is safe for washing hands and bathing with soap, but avoid swallowing water. Use caution when bathing infants and young children to ensure that no untreated tap water is consumed.
Why is it important that I follow the Boil Water Notice?
Inadequately treated water may contain harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, and other symptoms, especially in infants, young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.
For more information, please visit epwater.org or call 3-1-1.
Updated Water Distribution Sites
Sue Young Park, 9730 Diana Drive, 79924
Arlington Park, 103050 Pasadena Circle, 79924
Sunrise Park, 3800 Sunrise Avenue, 79904
Robert Chisolm Park (Clendenin Parking Lot), 2701 Harrison Avenue, 79930
North Skies Park, 7073 Copper Town Drive, 79934
Grandview Park, 3100 Jefferson Avenue, 79930
Hours of operation for these sites remain 5AM to midnight. Bottled water is available at all distribution sites. Please call 915-594-5500 to make a request if any elderly or disabled individuals may be in need of a water delivery.
Water Restoration and Boil Water Notice Lift
As of Thursday, 1/15/26, the Texas Commission on Environmental quality has given El Paso Water the approval to lift the Boil Water Notice. Water distribution sites will remain open until 10PM on Thursday 1/15/25.
Water services have been restored across the previously affected Northeast and Central areas. Residents are further advised to run their cold water taps for 5-15 minutes to flush their faucets. El Paso Water also advises that residents should dump and clean ice makers as well as clean or replace water filters. Any customers who may experience issues with their water services or have questions can contact the water quality help line at 915-594-5733.