Grand Prairie's water issue shuts down businesses

Grand Prairie is urging residents not to drink tap water again Thursday. The city first issued the advisory Tuesday evening.

Grand Prairie says a chemical used in firefighting foam was found in the supply. Mayor Ron Jensen said the foam was being used to extinguish the fire and backflow allowed it into the system.

Since then, Grand Prairie has urged residents north of I-20 not to drink the water, brush teeth or use it for cooking or washing dishes.

Thursday, the city is still handing out bottled water at Lone Star Park.

Many businesses downtown were closed.

"I'm not too sure we've got our filters in there," one man working at a car wash said. "I'm not too sure this stuff that's coming through the water is going to plug [water filter membranes] up."

The car wash was closed, but he brought his RV to the business Thursday so he would have a place to wash his hands while he stayed and did maintenance.

Some people were pulling up to drive-thrus saying they could not cook food at home, but they found restaurants were closed, too.

"It's bad," one woman said. "It's bad for all of us."

"It's really inconvenient. It's just hard," a man who pulled into a fast food parking lot near Belt Line and Main said. "It could be worse, but there's just no water."

Grand Prairie says it has opened showers and water fountains at several city facilities. Some residents were looking for places to fill plastic jugs.

Thursday morning, the city said a water sample had been sent to a testing lab. Grand Prairie was expecting results late Thursday afternoon.

"The safety of our residents is our top priority, and we sincerely appreciate your patience as we continue to collaborate with the TCEQ to restore the water supply," the city wrote in a statement.

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