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. 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. 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.”