Water service restored to East El Pasoans; sinkhole repairs continue

Hundreds of residents in east El Paso were forced to go almost two days without water after a water main break carved a large sinkhole on George Dieter Drive Saturday.

An El Paso Water Utilities spokesman tweeted Monday morning that service had been restored to all residents affected.

“Thank you to all of our @EPWater customers for your patience as #EPWU crews worked around the clock to restore water service to everyone,” a Tweet read.

Sunday night, 75 apartments were still without water after a new leak formed in the evening.

“I got a little desperate, came out here tried to get an update or something,” Sergio Sanchez, a resident at Castilleja, said.

As crews sifted through the sludge, many like Sanchez, were anxious.

“Trying to prepare for work, use the bathrooms, the cooking, the showering. It’s been kind of bad,” Sanchez said.

On the other side of George Dieter, residents at the Whispering Pines apartment complex got their water back on Sundaymorning.

“It wasn’t even 24 hours with out water, it was bad,” Jose Barron, a Whispering Pines resident said.

Javier Camacho, spokesman for El Paso Water Utilities, told ABC-7 he doesn’t know when the road will be fixed. He said their first priority is fixing the break.

“Right now we’re working on making those repairs and ensuring that those repairs are successfully done so we can turn back on the water,” Camacho said.

But for residents like Sanchez, not knowing when the problem would be fixed was forcing him to plan ahead.

“We have to go to plan B. Go to family members, rent a hotel room to take showers,” Sanchez said.

Monday morning, a city spokesman told ABC-7 they are coordinating with the water utility to determine when the street repairs can begin.