A persistent water leak in Houston’s East End, neglected for months, is finally being repaired after KHOU 11 spotlighted the issue.
HOUSTON — A long-standing water leak in Houston’s East End that neighbors say went unfixed for months is now being repaired — just a little over a week after KHOU 11 brought attention to the issue.
The problem first came to light when a viewer reached out to KHOU 11 reporter Anayeli Ruiz about a leak that had been flowing for nearly eight months. The water created algae buildup along a sidewalk near a school, making conditions slippery and potentially dangerous for students and pedestrians.
Now, that same stretch of sidewalk is finally drying out.
Neighbors say they reported the issue for months but saw little action.
“The city says it’s HISD’s problem. HISD says it’s the city’s problem. No one appears to do anything about it,” said neighbor Scott Singleton. “Everyone says, ‘It’s not my problem.’”
Despite repeated outreach by KHOU 11 to both the City of Houston and the Houston Independent School District, there was initially no response. The station moved forward with the story anyway.
The very next day, crews arrived at the site.
“There was a crew from HISD at the Baylor Magnet School to assess how bad the problem is and put a project plan together over the weekend,” Singleton said.
After weeks of follow-ups, HISD provided a statement confirming the issue has now been addressed.
“Addressing this particular leak near the campus involved communication between HISD and the City of Houston, ensuring we were informed and that our resources were properly aligned, as well as prioritization to minimize campus disruption as the water needed to be shut off,” the statement read. “The broken underground line that caused the leak has been repaired.”
However, officials did not explain why it took eight months to fix the problem.
Neighbors say they’re relieved to see progress finally, but frustrated it took media attention to prompt action.
“Why does it take us contacting the media for it to get fixed?” one resident asked.
Others say the issue has been ongoing for years.
“It’s finally fixed,” said Zack Clark. “I’ve been here five years — it’s always been slime-covered.”
While cleanup and repairs are still underway, the hazardous conditions that once impacted the area appear to be improving.
Residents say they’re grateful for the outcome — and for the attention that helped make it happen.
“Glad you covered this local story and enacted real positive change,” Clark said.
Got a news tip or story idea? Email us at [email protected] or call 713-521-4310 and include your name and the best way to reach you.
