A Texas school district has been forced to close today after a foaming agent was discovered in the city’s water supply.
Residents in Grand Prairie, part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex region, were warned Tuesday night to avoid drinking or using tap water ‘until further notice’ because of the possible contaminant.
The Grand Prairie Independent School District closed all its schools today ‘out of an abundance of caution’, a warning on its website states. Classes and extracurricular activities are scheduled to resume as normal on Thursday.
The city confirmed last night that a foaming agent was detected in the water north of I-20, but did not disclose when the water is expected to be safe again.
Officials in Grand Prairie have not disclosed what health effects the containment impacting the water supply poses, if any. However, foaming agents are known to cause diarrhea and gastrointestinal issues when ingested ay high levels.
The Grand Prairie Independent School District closed all its schools today ‘out of an abundance of caution’, a warning on its website states. Classes and extracurricular activities are scheduled to resume as normal on Thursday. Pictured: A high school in the district
The school distract cancelled Wednesday’s classes and school activities just before midnight, citing the ‘ongoing water issue in the city’.
District officials added: ‘We will resume our regular schedule on Thursday.’
A foaming agent is a surfactant that creates foam, suds or frothing in the water. They typically have a ‘soapy’ taste, and an oily, fishy, or perfume-like smell, according to KnowYourH2O.
Crews were working overnight to isolate the affected water supply area, Fox 4 reported.
The city also set up water distribution stations in an effort to provide residents with safe drinking water.
The school distract cancelled Wednesday’s classes and school activities just before midnight, citing the ‘ongoing water issue in the city’
The city confirmed last night that a foaming agent was detected in the water north of I-20. This is a map of the affected area, as shared by the city
Bottled water is available in the front parking lot of Grand Prairie City Hall at 300 W. Main Street, and at various other locations throughout the city.
There was a long queue of vehicles outside the distribution site at city hall Tuesday night, photos shared on social media show.
A list of distribution centers is available online. Residents can also call 972-237-8400 if they have any further questions.