We want to provide an update on the boil water notice currently in effect. Our teams are actively addressing the issue and making steady progress toward resolution.

Testing and Next Steps

A second independent testing firm is conducting additional water sampling today at eight locations across campus. The notice can be lifted once we receive two consecutive rounds of negative results per state requirements. As a precaution, we have already replaced nine vacuum breakers around Lovett Hall and are evaluating additional components. Facilities, housing and dining, and Incident Management Teams remain onsite and working continuously.

Water Access and Support

• Bottled water is available at all residential colleges for residents.
• Additional water is available for campus at the Gibbs Recreation Center, the Student Center Information Desk, the Grad Bubble and Fondren Library.
• Thanks to support from H-E-B, more water and additional locations will come online tomorrow. See the Emergency Management website for latest information.
• Please take only what you need so supplies remain available to everyone.
• Faculty and staff are encouraged to bring water from home, when possible.
• Tap water remains safe for handwashing, bathing and toilet use. Use bottled or boiled water for drinking, brushing teeth, preparing food or baby formula, and making ice.

What We Know

Routine testing by an independent contractor detected a positive result for E. coli at an exterior hose bibb at Lovett Hall. All testing of the university’s underground well—which supplies water to roughly 75% of campus—and upstream locations connected to Lovett Hall have come back negative, strongly indicating that the issue is isolated to that exterior location. While most buildings west of Alumni Drive use water from the city of Houston system, which has not detected any contaminants, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality requires the notice to apply campus-wide.

Campus Operations

Campus remains open and classes continue as scheduled. Events may continue with safe drinking water provided as appropriate. For the latest information including an FAQ, please visit:
https://emergency.rice.edu/news/rice-alert-water-system-contamination-incident-information

We will share another update as soon as the notice has been lifted. Thank you for your continued understanding and cooperation.