Mountain View water main break leaves dozens under “Do Not Use" order

Mountain View water main incident leaves dozens without tap water

About 67 households remain without safe tap water after a contamination incident, with testing expected to last through at least Monday.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - About 67 households near Cuesta Park remained under a strict "Do Not Use Water" order Saturday night following a water main incident that contaminated the local supply.

What we know

The backstory:

City officials said the incident occurred Friday during a water main replacement and upgrades project.

"The water main incident involved a city contractor who caused some slurry makes to come into contact with a live water main and required the water supply in the affected area to be shut off," said Lenka Wright, a spokesperson for the City of Mountain View.

Local perspective:

Residents have been told not to use tap water for any purpose, including drinking, cooking, bathing or washing, until further notice.

"We’re all frustrated, all the neighbors been talking about it, really frustrating, especially I have kids, and they have to go to school on Monday too," said resident Lena Hung.

No water for the weekend

Testing underway:

Crews spent Saturday flushing the system and conducting water quality testing, but officials said comprehensive safety results for drinking water are not expected until at least Monday.

"Our goal today is to have the water available for flushing toilets only, so our number one priority is the safety of the water for our residents, and we're anticipating that the comprehensive drinking water safety testing won't be completed until at least Monday," said Wright.

In the meantime, the city is offering support services, including bottled water distribution, free hotel accommodations for impacted residents, and access to shower facilities at Eagle Park Pool, Rengstorff Park Aquatics Center, and the public library.

What they're saying:

For some, the inconvenience has been manageable.

"We’re doing fine. I mean having to fill the tank every time you want to flush the toilet is minimally annoying, but there are a lot of people that live in much worse circumstances. It's not horrible," said resident Elaine Moise.  

Others say the disruption has been more challenging, particularly for families with specific needs.

"My youngest one has a very strict diet, he cannot eat a lot of different food, so we are trying to find a hotel with a kitchen, because I have to still be cooking," Hung said. 

What's next:

Officials urged affected residents to check the city's website for the latest updates.