Over 100K gallons of wastewater spilled in southeast Houston; residents asked to boil water

HOUSTON - Over 100,000 gallons of wastewater have reportedly spilled from a collection system in southeastern Houston, and some residents are being advised to boil their drinking water.

Houston: Boil advisory after wastewater spill

What we know:

According to Houston Public Works, a "structural failure" led to wastewater being spilled from a collection system on Goodyear Drive, near Highway 225 and Sims Bayou.

It's believed the spill started at about 1 p.m. on New Year's Eve. As of 8 p.m. Friday, officials say over 100,000 gallons of untreated domestic wastewater have been lost.

Houston Public Works is addressing the structure failure. Local officials and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality have been notified.

What we don't know:

There is no estimate of when the system will be fully repaired.

Locals advised to boil water

What you can do:

Officials say the spill impacts private drinking water supply wells within about a half-mile from the collection system. 

This spill could also be impacting the Sim Bayou near Highway 225, its south bank near the highway, and the bayou's downstream to the Houston Ship Channel.

File photo. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)

Anyone in the areas mentioned above is being advised to either use distilled water or to boil their water for at least one minute before drinking, cooking, bathing, etc.

If you receive drinking water from the City of Houston, officials say your water is safe, and it doesn't need to be boiled.

If you buy water from a public water supply, you can call your distributor to see if your water's safe for personal use.

Until the structure is fixed, the public is asked to avoid any soil, water, or waste material in the impacted area. If you come in contact with it, you're advised to clean yourself and your clothes as soon as possible.