UPDATE: Full Marshall water service expected to be restored by early Thursday evening, city says
City of Marshall official says “full operational” water pressure is expected to be restored by 6 p.m. Thursday.
After pouring the concrete Wednesday around the clamps at the water main pipe break in 1600 block of Spring Street, the city said the concrete will need to cure for about five hours.
“Around midnight (Wednesday), the city’s utility system will be pressurized and water lines refilled, which is estimated to take about four to five hours,” city officials said. “Once the system is filled, some areas of the city will have water. However, water will not be available throughout the system until towers are refilled around 3 p.m. Thursday.”
The boil water advisory remains in effect until further notice.
Marshall ISD has decided to cancel classes again Thursday.
“MISD has high hopes that we will be able to resume on Friday,” the district said.
6:38 P.M. WEDNESDAY UPDATE
City of Marshall officials said Wednesday afternoon that efforts to repair a major water main break have been unsuccessful because of the “age and fragility of the pipe.”
“Overnight, our crews successfully welded a pipe sleeve over the leak – a standard first-line repair technique for main breaks of this type,” David Rainwater, fire chief and emergency management coordinator, said during a Wednesday news conference.
Rainwater, standing with other city officials near the work site on Spring Street, said the difficulty in repairs “is directly attributable” to the pipe’s age.
He added that repair crew workers are applying large mechanical clamps that will then be sealed with concrete with a goal of stopping the leak. The concrete is scheduled to be poured Wednesday evening.
Rainwater said the nature of the repair required the city to hire a specialized crew based in Texarkana.
“I’m not in a position to give you a firm estimate of a full water service restoration,” he said. “I know that’s not what anybody wants to hear, but given the complications that we faced and encountered with this repair, I simply cannot provide a competent restoration timeline.”
Meanwhile, a local disaster declaration and water conservation order remain in place.
Officials said they discovered the leak of the 24-inch pipe, which is one of the largest transmission lines in the city, on Tuesday morning.
Aging infrastructure
Mayor Amy Ware said the pipe is 50 to 80 years old. She said City Council members have been taking measures to address the city’s aging infrastructure, but those improvements will take time and support from residents.
“And our water main distribution lines, as the one we see here, are one of our major water lines, they are 50 to 80 years old throughout the city, and they require additional significant investment,” Ware said. “Our council’s already allocated an upcoming $56 million to upgrade our water and wastewater treatment center. We have replaced and modernized our lift stations throughout the city and replaced some undersized lines and transmission lines. We’ve just not been able to replace them all but we have been able to replace some.”
Officials have said more discussions regarding water infrastructure upgrades will take place at the next council meetings.
“There is still much more to be done, and it will take the support of our citizens and council to financially continue these upgrades,” Ware said. “It is a significant investment; it is an investment that the citizens make with their hard-earned dollars to ensure this sort of infrastructure. So we do not take that responsibility lightly. We want to use those monies and use them well but knowing this is an ongoing project.
“If somebody (gave) a $100 million to the city of Marshall tomorrow to upgrade all our infrastructure, you can’t possibly do it in a short period of time,” Ware said. “It takes a lot of planning and it’s expensive, and we are trying to do that planning and have everything modernized and upgraded.”
Businesses and organizations donated pallets of bottled water Wednesday to distribute to residents. Tuesday’s distribution ended early after supplies ran out.
“I would like to thank Ray Wilson with state Senator Bryan Hughes’ office for helping us coordinate water to distribute to our citizens. Also, Brookshire’s, the East Texas Food Bank, and the Texas Department of Emergency Management,” Ware said. “They’ve all been crucial partners in helping us get water out to our citizens of Marshall.”
Next steps
After the crews seal the leak and water is re-pressurized, the boil water advisory will remain in place until the system is tested, Rainwater said.
“What I’ve been told by our water administration folks is that when we get the system fully recharged, we will take a sample for testing,” he said. “We take that test, we send it to a lab, they evaluate it, they coordinate with the (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality), and then the state releases us to drop the boil mandate. So typically that whole process takes a minimum of 72 hours, or three business days, basically. It can take up to five depending on what’s going on with the lab or if it crosses over a weekend.”
8:15 A.M. WEDNESDAY UPDATE
A boil water notice is in effect for all Marshall residents as repairs continue Wednesday on a major water main break.
“Public Works crews have worked through the night to address the issue,” the city said Wednesday morning. “A temporary patch has been installed; however, the system has not yet been fully re-pressurized. Crews are currently testing for additional leaks and working to remove air from the lines.
“At this time, the water system does not have adequate pressure to support normal operations. As a precaution, all customers are advised to boil water prior to consumption. This includes water used for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, and making ice. To ensure safety, residents should bring water to a vigorous boil for at least two minutes and allow it to cool before use. Alternatively, bottled water may be used.”
The city said water distribution efforts are being coordinated, and distribution sites will be announced once additional water supplies have been delivered.
The boil water notice will remain in effect until the system is fully operational and water quality testing confirms it is safe for consumption.
7:36 A.M. WEDNESDAY UPDATE:
Marshall ISD has canceled classes for the second day after a Tuesday water main break.
“This morning, Marshall ISD has received word that the water system will not be adequate for us to return to school today,” the district said in a statement. “Due to this, MISD must cancel classes for today. We appreciate everyone’s concern and will be ready to see our students as soon as we possibly can. We will update our parents, community and students as we receive additional information from the city.”
The city of Marshall reported several facilities will not be open today. City Hall and other non-emergency municipal buildings are closed to the public.
11:17 P.M. TUESDAY UPDATE:
Water service is expected to be restored Wednesday morning to parts of Marshall affected by Tuesday’s water main break.
“Work continues into the night on a large 24-inch water main that has disrupted water service to the entire city of Marshall,” the city said Tuesday night in a statement.
A Texarkana-based contractor is using specialized equipment to make the repair in the 1600 block of Spring Street, according to interim Public Works Director Douglas Box.
“They will stay here until it’s done,” Box said late Tuesday.
City emergency management officials estimate repairs to be completed during late Tuesday/early Wednesday and water restored by mid-morning unless additional issues arise.
“The city has been placed under a boil water advisory,” the city said in a statement. “To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice-making should be boiled and cooled prior to drinking or human consumption purposes. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes.”
9:17 P.M. TUESDAY UPDATE:
Water service is expected to be restored Wednesday morning to parts of Marshall affected by Tuesday’s water main break.
Marshall ISD will have delayed starts at its campuses: pre-K and elementary campuses will begin at 10 a.m. with doors opening at 9:30 a.m., and the junior high, high school, Marshall Early Graduation School and DAEP will begin at 10:30 a.m. with doors opening at 10 a.m.
“We will continue to communicate with the city officials, and on Wednesday morning, we will announce whether we will be able to move forward with this plan or if we will have to cancel school based on water availability,” Marshall ISD said in a statement.
2:30 P.M. TUESDAY UPDATE:
The city of Marshall has declared a local drought declaration and issued a mandatory water conservation order after a Tuesday morning water main break.
The 24-inch water main break is in the 1600 block of Spring Street and is considered the major transmission line, which impacts the entire city, officials said.
It’s the second Marshall water main break in less than a month.
The local disaster declaration allows other state and local agencies to assist the city.
Employees with Marshall’s Public Works Department worked Tuesday afternoon to repair the break.
Douglas Box, interim Public Works director, said city officials were alerted of the break about 6 a.m. Tuesday, shortly after a police officer noticed the problem.
Box said the water treatment plant was shut down to reduce pressure, and one water tower was completely drained because of the leak.
“We already had guys on site, and we started shutting down valves, and we had a lot of water (loss),” Box said. “In fact, we drained one of our water towers, so we shut off the water plant so we (could) reduce the pressure over here. And so it’s impacted a large portion of Marshall.
“It’s going to be a long day for the repairs,” he said.
Once the pipe is fixed, crews must refill all the lines that were drained, Box said.
“It’ll take us a while, but we have to make sure when we turn it back on that we bleed all the air that’s gotten in the lines and get that out, so it’ll take a while to charge everything back,” he said.
He hopes the system will be up and running again by late Wednesday.
“I always kind of plan for the worst, but I think it’ll be late (Wednesday) before we’re really back (to normal operations),” he said. “It’s just unfortunate; it’s one of our main lines.”
‘Proactive response’
Bottles of water are being distributed until 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Marshall Convention Center.
Councilman Dathaniel Campbell was among the city employees helping hand out water.
“The overall goal is to make sure everybody that is in need of drinking water is going to have it,” he said. “And so this is just a proactive response.”
Each vehicle can receive two, 24-packs of water or one 48-pack.
“We’re doing our best to try to make this as quick as possible and fix this as quick as possible,” he said. “If there’s any citizens that aren’t able to come and pick up the water, have them reach out to somebody. But we just want to make sure everybody’s taken care of and just have the patience within us.”
Additionally, as a result of the water main break, the Marshall Fire Department imposed an emergency burn ban for the city.
“Burning without adequate water pressure or supply is risky and dangerous,” fire officials said. “Please do not burn.”
Officials said the burn ban will be lifted once the system has been repaired and normal pressure and levels have been restored.
Mandatory conservation
The city’s mandatory water conservation measures prohibit non-essential water use, including any use not essential nor required for the protection of public health, safety and welfare including the following:
Irrigation of landscape areas, including parks, athletic fields, and golf courses, except otherwise provided under this plan;
Use of water to wash any motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane or other vehicle;
Use of water to wash down any sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts, or other hard-surfaced areas;
Use of water to wash down buildings or structures for purposes other than immediate fire protection;
Flushing gutters or permitting water to run or accumulate in any gutter or street;
Use of water to fill, refill, or add to any indoor or outdoor swimming pools or jacuzzi-type pools;
Use of water in a fountain or pond for aesthetic or scenic purposes except where necessary to support aquatic life;
Failure to repair a controllable leak(s) within a reasonable period after having been given notice directing the repair of such leak(s); and
Use of water from hydrants for construction purposes or any other purposes other than firefighting.
Aging infrastructure
A water main break in late February near U.S. 59 South and Pinecrest Drive forced the city to issue a boil notice.
Marshall Fire Chief David Rainwater, who also is the city’s emergency management coordinator, previously said the break was a result of January’s ice storm as well as aging infrastructure.
The infrastructure is almost a century old and is in need of either being replaced or repaired, he said.
The city implemented water and sewer rate increases in January to support water and wastewater system improvements.
“The Marshall City Council approved a new rate structure in September 2025 following a comprehensive review of water and wastewater operations,” the city previously said. “The city identified more than $56 million in critical infrastructure improvements needed at the Water Treatment Plant and Wastewater Treatment Plant. The upgrades will include new pumps, valves and electrical components that are vital to maintaining dependable service.”
City officials explained that the aging operating equipment at the plant is 25-to 50-years old while the water distribution mains at the water treatment plant are more than 70 years old.
“City Manager Melissa Vossmer said the equipment assessment revealed that much of the infrastructure is approaching or has exceeded its intended service life,” city officials said previously. “The increasing costs of repairing and replacing this aging equipment are significantly impacting operating expenses. Water and sewer rates are the primary source of funding for these essential services.”