SAWS clears Northwest Side well after E. coli advisory; tap water stayed safe

SAWS said Monday, June 15, that retesting found no further E. coli in the Turtle Creek 3 well on the Northwest Side, easing a raw-water alert that began June 13.

The update matters because the finding was in raw water from the well before disinfection, not in treated tap water. SAWS said all raw water is disinfected before entering the distribution system, and finished-water samples collected across the system showed no E. coli.

What SAWS found

In its public notice, SAWS said sampling at Turtle Creek 3 detected E. coli on June 12 and that the well was taken offline to be inspected and disinfected. The utility said it would investigate the source, disinfect the well and retest it. KSAT reported that the alert applied to Northwest Side customers served by the well.

Why it was not a boil-water notice

SAWS said the notice was not a boil-water alert and that customers did not need to take extra steps before using tap water. The utility said public notice was still required because groundwater rules call for notice when a well tests positive for E. coli or fecal bacteria.

That distinction matters. The alert was about a specific raw-water source, not a failure in the treated water that reaches homes and businesses.

What residents should take away

For Northwest Side customers served by Turtle Creek 3, the practical bottom line is that SAWS said the well was taken offline, retested and cleared of further E. coli by June 15. Residents did not need to boil water, and the utility said normal use could continue.

Even so, the notice was worth reading. It told customers what was found, where it was found, and why a raw-water finding can trigger a public notice even when tap water stays safe.

Sources

• San Antonio Water System advisory
• SAWS public notice PDF
• KSAT local report on the Northwest Side advisory
• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Revised Total Coliform Rule