AUSTIN, Texas — Over the past week, several water main breaks have occurred in Central Texas.
In the Wells Branch Municipal Utility District, residents are still under a boil water notice Tuesday after a contractor hit a 24-inch line on Friday, leading to a water main break.
Austin Water crews also repaired a 48-inch water line over the weekend in southwest Austin that was leaking.
Another line break happened Tuesday in Elgin, where "Zone Three" and "Zone Six" Aqua Water Supply Corporation customers were asked to boil their water before using it.
Jeremy Mazur, a water expert who works with the nonprofit organization Texas 2036, said there are several reasons for water main breaks.
"First, it could be a contractor hitting a water main causing it to leak or break," Mazur said. "The second is the line may be too old."
According to Mazur, temperatures and soil can also play a role in water line breaks.
"We get drier conditions ... Drought's more frequently during summer, and this causes soil to contract as it dries up, increasing the straining on our water pipes, frequently causing them to break," Mazur said.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Aqua Water Supply Corporation said the utility provider is still investigating how the main broke. They said the line has been repaired, but that there is still a boil water notice until test results come back.
More on the current boil water notices in Central Texas: