Boil-Water Notice

Shay Ralls Roalson will take over the position after longtime director Greg Meszaros resigned in February, days after an error at a treatment facility forced Austin residents to boil their water for several days.

The boil water notice affected millions of Texans and led to a two-day shutdown of area schools and disrupted local business. Water experts say the incident should direct cities to look at their own water containment equipment and consider possible upgrades.

The Austin Water investigation lays out a clearer timeline of what led to the city issuing its third boil-water notice in four years. An external investigation is ongoing.

The vote comes nearly two weeks after Austin Water issued a citywide boil water notice.

In the process of prepping a basin to treat incoming river water, employees added too much of a mixture containing calcium carbonate. This resulted in high levels of what the utility calls “turbidity,” or cloudiness, in the water.

City Council members say they want to know how Austin Water can prevent another boil-water notice from happening in the future.

In a letter addressed to City Manager Spencer Cronk on Friday, Greg Meszaros said he was "ready to step aside."

Boil-water notices, like the one issued this past weekend, can often be precautionary. It turns out this one was.

A citywide boil-water notice was issued Saturday evening. Austin Water said human error led to issues at the Ullrich Water Treatment Plant.

People can pick up safe drinking water from eight city-run distribution sites around Austin.