Houston mounts a boil water advisory

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Residents must:

– Run cold water through the tap for 1 minute to bring clean water into the pipes.

– Empty the ice into the ice maker, then make at least three batches before using the ice.

–Put household water softeners through a regeneration cycle.

– Remove and clean the screens on the taps.

The boil water advisory was announced on Wednesday after the city’s water pressure fell below the Texas Environmental Quality Commission minimum requirement of 20 pounds per square inch . Below this pressure, there is an increased risk that contaminants can enter the pipes.

The low pressure was caused by arctic weather conditions last week, which caused pipes to burst in the city and equipment failure at water distribution facilities.

To lift the boil water advisory, the Houston water system had to rebound at a stable pressure of 35 psi. Then the city had to collect water samples and send them to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. These samples underwent at least 24 hours of lab testing to determine if bacteria were growing in the system.

“We have been given the green light,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said at a press conference on Sunday.

Turner was speaking from Butler Stadium where bottled water was being distributed. He admitted that even with the boil water advisory lifted, tens of thousands of people still do not have water in their homes.

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“Because so many pipes have burst in our area, even though the boil water advisory has been lifted, people still need water,” Turner said.

People starting to repair their homes should take stone slabs and other debris to the sidewalk, then call 3-1-1.

Turner promised Houstonians would not have to pay sky-high water bills due to burst pipes. The city will amend these bills.

And if retail electricity providers don’t change the high utility bills, caused by variable rate plans, Turner said state lawmakers should take responsibility for those higher bills.

Variable rate plans can go up or down depending on the market and “at the discretion of your utility company,” according to Power To Choose, a power purchasing website operated by the Utilities Board. With variable plans, customers can benefit from low market prices, but are at increased risk of higher tariffs if electricity prices skyrocket due to natural disasters, cold winters, or adverse market conditions. .

“Just as we can when it comes to water bills, the state of Texas should take the same responsibility for these high utility bills,” Turner said.

And with the trauma caused this week – in addition to the trauma caused by COVID-19 – Turner also called on state lawmakers to make more financial resources available for mental health.