Ponder ISD will not have classes Tuesday, Aug. 25, due to a water main break.
A contractor hit a water main, causing a loss of pressure within the town’s water storage tank around 4:15 p.m.
Ponder ISD said running water is needed to operate campuses, provide meals and meet the needs of students. The district said athletics coaches, fine arts director and extracurricular activity sponsors will communicate directly with students and families about their schedules for Tuesday. The Ponder Elementary Curriculum Night scheduled for Tuesday evening is also canceled, with more info to be shared later.
The city said the water may not be adequately disinfected and may contain harmful microbes, which can cause symptoms like nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches. Children, seniors, and persons with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to harmful bacteria.
All customers should follow these directions:
- To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled before use. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two (2) minutes.
- Instead of boiling, individuals may purchase bottled water or obtain water from another suitable source for drinking, cooking, and ice-making purposes.
- Once the boil water notice is no longer in effect, the public water system will issue a notice to customers that rescinds the boil water notice like this notice.
- Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses).
The town is working to resolve the issue; then the state must test to confirm the water is safe to drink.
