Day 2: Corpus Christi Water Notice: What we know so far

The latest Corpus Christi citywide water notice was issued late Wednesday night notifying residents to discontinue use of all city tap water until testing shows the water quality is safe.

Here is what we know so far about the situation:

Water ban ends for some residents

The city announced late Thursday that it is safe to use tap water again in Calallen, Flour Bluff, and Padre Island. On Friday, Zone 2, which includes residents and businesses south of South Padre Island Drive, was cleared for a limited use of tap water. Residents in that area can use the water for showering, bathing and washing clothes but not drinking. The city released a map to show new areas as they are released.

This is not a water boil notice.

"Boiling, freezing, filtering, adding chlorine or other disinfectants, or letting the water stand will not make the water safe," the release states.

It is recommended that residents in the no use areas (Zone 3-downtown) use bottled water for all their water needs.

In addition to water for consumption (meaning drinking water or food preparation), anything residents would use city tap water for that could affect health — including washing your hands/clothes and bathing — should be discontinued.

What happened?

The city of Corpus Christi received a call about dirty water Wednesday afternoon near the downtown area, city spokeswoman Kim Womack said.

As of Thursday afternoon, city officials had pinned responsibility for the contamination on Ergon Asphalt and Emulsions, Inc. Valero issued a statement earlier in the day stating the contamination had been caused by a “localized backflow issue from third party operations in the area of Valero’s asphalt terminal.”

City officials have not determined if the backflow was caused by the lack of a one-way valve in one of the company’s mixing tanks (known as a backflow preventer), or if the preventer was present yet defective.

City officials believe between three and 24 gallons of the chemical — Indulin AA-86, an asphalt emulsifier — contaminated the water distribution system near the 6700 block of Up River Road.

Ergon Asphalt & Emulsion Inc., a company linked to Corpus Christi's water crisis, issued this brief statement late Thursday night:

"Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Inc. has been in contact with TCEQ and is working cooperatively to provide all information to ensure state officials can remedy the situation as quickly as possible. Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Inc. is working around the clock and is committed to providing support to assist in getting the drinking water supply back online."

What chemical is causing the water issue?

Indulin AA-86 is an oil-based petroleum chemical, city spokeswoman Kim Womack said. The city has consulted with CDC and it's not poisonous and is not expected to be a health hazard, she said. The city is working with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Centers for Disease Control, she said.