Grand Prairie schools are closed again Thursday after a foaming agent was found in the water supply to parts of the city.
Grand Prairie ISD is offering grab-and-go lunches for students only with ID Thursday from 12:30 – 2 p.m. at several schools campuses:
- Ochoa STEM Academy at Ben Milam Elementary, 2030 Proctor Drive
- Global Leadership Academy at Barbara Bush Elementary, 511 E. Springdale Lane
- Florence Hill Elementary, 4213 Robinson Road
- Travis World Language Academy, 525 N. E. 15th Street
- Rayburn Elementary STEAM Academy, 2800 Reforma Drive
- Bowie Fine Arts Academy, 425 Alice Drive
- Daniels Academy of Science and Math, 801 M L King Jr. Blvd.
- Jackson Middle School, 350 Corn Valley Road
GPISD said they will not provide transportation for Early College students Thursday. The district said they are monitoring the situation in hopes of opening schools on Friday.
The city is offering free shower and water fountain access for residents affected by the water issue at The Epic Waters indoor water park, 2970 Epic Place, and The Summit 50+ Recreation Center, 2975 Esplanade Drive.
Mayor Ron Jensen said in a press conference Wednesday that the foaming agent was caused by fire suppressant that entered the water system through a backflow event. Backflow is caused when non-potable water enters the drinking water system.
As of noon Wednesday, city officials told residents north of Interstate 20 to avoid using the water and to not attempt to treat it themselves.
Jensen said that the city is flushing its lines and waiting for test results before announcing the next step, which would be a boil water notice. As of 2 p.m. Wednesday the city was not under a boil water notice yet.
He added that the city has not received any reports of serious medical concerns stemming from the water advisory. Residents who showered with the water prior to knowing about the advisory should not be concerned, he said.
GPISD closed all schools Wednesday out of an abundance of caution because of the ongoing problems with the city's water. Morning extracurricular activities were also canceled.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the city of Grand Prairie to notify its customers not to use tap water for consumption.
- Tap water should not be used for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, or making beverages or ice.
- Tap water should not be used for pets or animals to drink.
- Tap water should not be used for dishwashing.
Limited Uses of Tap Water:
- The tap water may be used for toilet flushing.
The city is distributing bottled water again Thursday at Lone Star Park, 1000 Lone Star Parkway. A map for navigating water pickup can be found here.
Got a tip? Email Megan Cardona at mcardona@kera.org.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you!
