Wichita Boil Water Advisory Impacts 500,000 Customers After Water Treatment Plant Power Failure

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) — The City of Wichita issued a boil water advisory affecting approximately 500,000 water customers following a loss of water pressure traced to a power outage at the city’s main water treatment plant and Hess pump station.

Power Outage and Backup Generator Failure Under Investigation

Wichita Public Works Director Gary Janzen confirmed that the loss of water pressure and subsequent boil advisory originated with a power outage at the city’s current water treatment plant. The more-than-80-year-old facility was running on backup generators due to Tuesday night’s storms, but city staff is still working to determine why those generators failed.

Janzen emphasized that the generator failure was not caused by an issue with the plant itself. The city’s new water treatment plant has been taken over for operation but is not scheduled to go online until the second quarter of 2027.

Widespread Water Pressure Loss Reported Across Wichita

Residents on the east and west sides of Wichita began experiencing lowered or lost water pressure early Wednesday morning. As of 6 a.m., city officials confirmed work was underway to address the problem, though the source had not yet been identified as of 6:15 a.m.

Viewers from across the city reached out to 12 News, and while the exact number of impacted water customers remained unclear, the advisory was issued broadly for the entire service area.

School Closures and Community Impact

Wichita Public Schools announced that elementary schools with 9 a.m. start times would be closed Wednesday, Sept. 16, due to the boil water advisory. Students in latchkey programs at those schools were advised to be picked up as soon as possible.

Schools already in session and those with 9 a.m. secondary start times were to continue as normal. Decisions about Sept. 17 and after-school events would be made when more information became available.

Boil Water Advisory Safety Precautions

The City of Wichita advised water customers to observe the following precautions until further notice:

• Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation, or use bottled water.
• Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.
• Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water containing one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.

Additional Guidance from City Officials

Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled, though supervision of children is necessary to prevent ingestion. Persons with cuts or severe rashes should consult their physicians.

The city noted that regardless of whether the public water supplier or the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced the advisory, only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory. The city will provide regular updates but cannot provide a timeline for when the advisory will be lifted.

Contact Information and Resources

Consumer questions can be directed to the City of Wichita at (316) 265-1300 or KDHE at (785) 296-5514. Consumer information is available on KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage at http://www.kdheks.gov/pws/emergencyresponse/water_disruption.htm.

Restaurants and food establishments with questions about the advisory’s impact on their business can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety and lodging program at kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767.

The City of Wichita is holding a press conference concerning the water issue at 8:30 a.m. at City Hall. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

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News, Wichita Kansas, Boil Water Advisory, Water Treatment Plant, Power Outage, Water Pressure, KDHE, Public Health, Infrastructure, Community Impact, School Closures, City of Wichita, Gary Janzen, KWCH