Texas still without a clear water even week after tragic weather storm

As of 10 a.m. CT Monday, more than 1,200 public water systems were reporting disruptions in service because of last week’s weather, many of them leading to boiling water notices, the Texas Council on Environment Quality said.

“This is affecting more than 8.7 million people in 200 Texas counties,” Gary Rasp, a spokesman for the council, told USA TODAY. Most of those 8.7 million are under boil water notices, he said.

“This is affecting more than 8.7 million people in 200 Texas counties,” Gary Rasp, a spokesman for the council, told USA TODAY. Most of those 8.7 million are under boil water notices, he said.

Even though life is returning to normal for Texans millions still struggled with water shortages, boil-water advisories and flooding damage from burst pipes, and about 18,000 customers remained without power.

In Austin, however, a boil water notice issued last week was lifted for parts of the city  Monday morning, including downtown and areas of East Austin, Austin Water officials said.

“Customers in Austin Water’s central pressure zone no longer need to boil water used for drinking, cooking and making ice,” Austin Water said.

In San Antonio, authorities said Sunday that water had been restored to 98% of the city.

“The historic freezing temperatures in Houston last week caused water pressure to drop throughout the city,” according to a statement from Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. “I appreciate everyone’s patience as Houston Water crews worked nonstop to restore the pressure and gain the TCEQ’s approval to lift the boil water notice.”

More than 70 deaths have been linked to the intense cold and damaging storms that swept through a wide swath of the nation last week, about half of those in Texas.