Published
Recent notices, briefly
Laredo households have lived through several notices in recent years. Each had a different cause, which is a good way to understand what the city is watching for.
| When | What happened | How long |
|---|---|---|
| February 2021 | Low distribution pressure from a line break during the winter storm | Boil notice from February 18 to March 4 |
| February 2022 | A corroded 36-inch main serving the south side ruptured; more than 125,000 people affected | 13-day boil notice |
| October 2024 | E. coli found in the system; citywide notice; more than 200 bad or illegal connections found in central Laredo | 11 days, October 10 to 21 |
| May 2026 | A failed backflow device at one home let contaminated water into the system; Jefferson plant service area | About four days |
After the 2024 notice, the city started an amnesty program so residents could report illegal water connections without fines, and said more than 30% of its water lines are over 50 years old. After the 2026 notice, the utilities director urged homeowners to have their backflow devices inspected every year, and the city said it plans to divide the system into zones so future problems can be isolated.
Why boil notices are issued
A boil water notice means water in part or all of the system may not meet safety standards. During the 2021 response, the state’s public works team described the conditions that triggered Laredo’s notice: system pressure below 20 psi, disinfectant below 0.5 milligrams of chlorine per liter, and the possibility of coliform bacteria. When pressure drops, outside water can be drawn into the pipes, and without pressure, crews cannot reliably test for chlorine or bacteria.
Notices can be citywide or limited to one service area. In 2026, for example, the notice covered customers served by the Jefferson plant, while areas served by El Pico were not affected. Check the city’s map for your address.
During a boil water notice
- Bring water to a rolling boil for the time the notice specifies before drinking, cooking, making ice or mixing baby formula
- Use boiled or bottled water to brush teeth and wash produce
- Turn off the refrigerator ice maker and throw out ice made during the notice
- Do not rely on refrigerator or pitcher filters to make water safe unless the notice says they are acceptable
- Showering and laundry are generally fine; avoid swallowing water and follow the notice for infants and anyone with a weakened immune system
- Wash dishes with boiled water, or in a dishwasher with a sanitizing cycle if the notice allows it
After the notice is lifted
- Flush cold taps. Run each cold water faucet for several minutes, starting with the one closest to where water enters the house. Follow the time the city gives.
- Flush appliances. Run the refrigerator water dispenser for several minutes, throw out the first batches of ice, and run an empty dishwasher cycle.
- Water heater. Many utilities suggest flushing the hot water side too. If the notice lasted a long time, ask a plumber about draining and refilling the tank.
- Replace filters. Change refrigerator, faucet and whole-house filters as the manufacturer recommends after a contamination event.
- Check softeners. Water softeners and treatment systems may need sanitizing; follow the manual.
Free chlorine conversions
Laredo Utilities periodically switches its disinfectant to free chlorine for several weeks as routine maintenance. The city announced its spring 2026 conversion starting March 27, 2026, as part of a twice-yearly program expected to last about 30 days. During a conversion you may notice a stronger chlorine smell or taste. It is not a plumbing problem. Running cold water for a few minutes, or keeping a pitcher in the refrigerator, helps with taste.
Aquarium owners and anyone using water for dialysis at home should follow the city’s specific instructions during a conversion, since chlorine levels affect both.
Taste, smell and color changes
The utilities department has linked past complaints about an earthy, musty taste and odor to conditions in the Rio Grande, based on laboratory results. Taste and odor changes from the source water are usually a treatment issue, not a problem with your pipes.
Some clues point to your own plumbing instead:
- Only hot water smells like rotten eggs: often a reaction with the water heater’s anode rod; see water heaters
- Only one sink smells: usually the drain, not the water; a dry trap or buildup in the pipe
- Brown water after a main break nearby: sediment stirred up in city mains; run cold water until it clears and avoid laundry until it does
- Rusty water that does not clear, only in your house: possibly galvanized pipe; see repiping and water lines
Drought stages
Laredo’s water conservation and drought contingency plan, updated by Ordinance 2024-O-095, sets stages based on storage in the Amistad and Falcon reservoirs upstream and on treatment plant demand. Stage 1 begins as storage falls; Stages 2, 3 and 4 add stricter limits as conditions worsen. In 2024, as reservoir levels fell, the city moved to Stage 3 critical restrictions, which allowed lawn watering and hand-washing vehicles only once a week.
Even in Stage 1, the plan sets clear rules for households:
- Sprinklers and soaker hoses only three days a week, before 8 a.m. or after 7 p.m.: Monday, Wednesday and Friday for addresses ending in an even number, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for odd
- Hand watering with a shut-off nozzle, a bucket or watering can, and drip irrigation allowed any day at any time
- No unattended running hoses, no runoff into streets, and no watering during rain
- A controllable leak from a faucet, hose, sprinkler, backflow preventer or meter must be repaired within 5 days
- No running an irrigation system with broken or misting heads
Check the current stage with the city before planning new landscaping, filling a pool or changing an irrigation schedule. Fixing leaks is the easiest way to stay inside the rules; see leaks and slab leaks.
What a plumber can and cannot help with
Official notices come from the City of Laredo and Laredo Utilities through the city website, local news and the city’s alert channels. For notices, rely on the city, not on this site. A plumber cannot make city water safe during a boil notice, but can help with what happens inside your home: flushing lines, replacing filters, servicing the water heater, fixing leaks, and making sure your backflow devices are working so your home is not the source of the next problem.
Sources
Official and primary sources used on this page. Rules change, so check the source before acting on a detail.
- TEEX: Public Works Response Team deployment to Laredo (February 2021)
- TEEX: Laredo 36-inch water main break and boil water notice (February 2022)
- Texas Tribune: Laredo ends boil-water notice after 11 days (October 2024)
- KGNS: Laredo leaders push for stricter water safety rules after partial boil water notice (June 2026)
- City of Laredo: partial boil water notice lifted for the Jefferson plant service area
- City of Laredo: free chlorine conversion announcement (March 2026)
- City of Laredo Ordinance 2024-O-095: water conservation and drought contingency plan
- NewsNation: Laredo enacts Stage 3 critical water restrictions (2024)