Subject: Monday Winter Storm Recovery Updates

Dear Neighbors,

 

The sunshine and return of water service for many were welcome positive signs this morning as our city begins our recovery from last week’s events. I understand that you have many questions about what happened to our power and water systems and what we can do to improve the resilience of our infrastructure and our community moving forward. As a city and a state, we have many lessons to learn and, no doubt, many  investments and actions to take. As your representative, I am committed to pursuing those steps. 


Today I want to provide some updates and answers to some more immediate questions. I am pleased to report that as of 2:45 p.m. most of District 10 no longer needs to boil water. Areas near Jester, Lakewood, and Great Hills may still be under a boil water notice. You can check your specific address using this interactive map.


Austin Water has lifted the water boil restrictions for those residing in Austin Water’s Central, South, North, and Northwest A Pressure Zones. Austin Water Director Greg Meszaros has indicated that we expect to have all of Austin with water service today and the boil water notice lifted city-wide shortly after. Below please find a press release from Austin Water. Therein you will find more background on the status of our water system and information on water use restrictions currently in effect. You can also stay up to date on water distribution efforts at www.austintexas.gov/weatherinfo. Additionally, the City has scheduled a press conference for 3:30 PM today (accessible virtually at www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live).


Below I have provided information on curbside pickup, brush collection, and what to do with extra material. Since many of you are engaged in house repairs I also have included links for FEMA guidance and various efforts available to assist residents with these repairs. Note state and local efforts are under way to recruit plumbers from around the country to assist with recovery efforts. Below I also have highlighted information on Austin Energy charges and ways to donate and volunteer to assist our community. 


Council has called a Special Called Meeting for 10 AM on February 25th, which you can watch on ATXN.  On Thursday, city staff will update us on the recent severe weather and ongoing recovery and relief efforts and brief us on Covid-19 related activities and developments. Because state law requires us to post agenda items 72 hours in advance, our deliberations will be limited to the items posted specifically for this agenda. However, this meeting represents just our most immediate next steps and I anticipate many additional actions being taken beyond these listed below. The specific agenda items Council will consider are:

  • Extension of the local disaster declaration for up to 30 days.

  • Fee waivers for all residential permitting and development fees required to repair or reconstruct structures or property damaged or destroyed and fee waivers for tree removal activities.

  • Fee waivers for Emergency Medical Services provided between February 12 and February 20.

  • Changes to plumbing related permitting requirements to facilitate faster small-scale plumbing repairs.

  • Next steps to take action to mitigate adverse impacts of the recent weather emergency on city residents, including their city utility bills. [This sets in motion adjustments to the water/wastewater averaging process and other water related fee relief measures, for instance.]


Finally, I want to remind you that we still confront a pandemic and need to continue our COVID safe practices of wearing masks, washing hands, staying home when sick, avoiding gatherings, and social distancing.  Vaccination and testing efforts have resumed and I have provided details towards the end of this message on COVID-19 operations.


My office will continue to assist you as we recover. We can be reached at District10@austintexas.gov. Please note that email or phone (512-978-2110) are the best ways to connect. Social media requests can be easily missed and often add layers of delay to our responsiveness. While we can post information to Nextdoor, we do not have access to commentary across the district. 


Stay safe,

 

Alison Alter

Council Member, District 10


Subscribe to future newsletters at bit.ly/d10newsletters

Table of Contents

  • Boil Water Notice Lifted for Customers in Austin Water’s Central, South, North, and Northwest A Pressure Zones

  • What to Do When Water is Restored/When Boil Water Notice is Lifted

  • Austin Resource Recovery Update

  • Austin Energy Billing Information

  • How to Get FEMA Reimbursement

  • Austin Disaster Relief Network Home Repairs and Debris Clean Up

  • Home Repair Program offered by the Housing and Planning Department

  • Emergency Repair Support From the Development Services Department

  • Winter Storm Recovery: How to Help

  • Austin Public Health COVID-19 Update

Austin Water released the following press release lifting the boil water notice for the Central, South, North, and Northwest A Pressure Zones.


Boil Water Notice Lifted for Customers in Austin Water’s 

Central, South, North, and Northwest A Pressure Zones


Boil Water Notice Remains in Effect for all other Austin Water Customers
 

AUSTIN - Austin Water has partially lifted the boil water notice that has been in place since Wednesday, February 17, 2021. Customers in Austin Water’s Central, South, North, and Northwest A Pressure Zones no longer need to boil water used for drinking, cooking and making ice. Water quality testing submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has confirmed that tap water in the Central, South, North, and Northwest A Pressure Zones meet all regulatory standards and is safe for human consumption.

Customers can view the interactive map to find out if their address is affected by the latest lifted boil water notice. (Note from CM ALTER - if you live near where the zones connect, please be sure to check your specific address before consuming unboiled water.)

On February 17, 2021, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) required Austin Water, Public Water System ID#TX227001, to issue a Boil Water Notice to inform customers, individuals, or employees that due to conditions which occurred recently in the public water system, the water from this public water system was required to be boiled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes.

The public water system has taken the necessary corrective actions to restore the quality of the water distributed by this public water system used for drinking water or human consumption purposes and has provided TCEQ with laboratory test results that indicate that the water in Austin Water’s Central, South, North, and Northwest A Pressure Zones no longer requires boiling prior to use as of February 22, 2021.

If customers have questions concerning this matter, they may visit www.austintexas.gov/page/boil-water-notice-and-faqs or follow @austinwater on social media.

Austin Water wholesale customers are conducting additional regulatory work in coordination with The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality before lifting boil water notice for their customers. Austin Water wholesale districts in this list include:

  • Night Hawk

  • Travis County WCID 10

  • Windermere

  • Creedomoor-Maha WSC

  • Morningside

  • Rivercrest

  • San Leanna

  • Marsha WSC

  • Wells Branch MUD

  • Manor

  • Rollingwood

  • Sunset Valley


Customers of Austin Water wholesale customers listed above should contact their provider directly for the latest updates.

 

If customers have questions concerning this matter, they may visit www.austintexas.gov/page/boil-water-notice-and-faqs or follow @austinwater on social media.

 

Austin Water wholesale customers are conducting additional regulatory work in coordination with The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality before lifting boil water notice for their customers. Austin Water wholesale districts in this list include: Creedmoor Maha WSC, Nighthawk WSC and Travis County WCID #10.  Customers of Austin Water wholesale customers listed above should contact their provider directly for the latest updates.


Background

 

As a result of the extreme freezing weather conditions, a precautionary city-wide boil water notice was issued on February 17, 2021, due to power loss at The Ullrich Water Treatment Plant. With the reduction of water treatment capacity at Austin Water’s largest water treatment facility, and with numerous leaks from freeze damaged water delivery infrastructure as well as private side plumbing, storage capacity and water pressures dropped, causing water outages across areas of the city. Austin Water worked with Austin Energy to bring Ullrich Water Treatment Plant back online within hours.

 

On February 18, 2021, all three Austin Water treatment plants began operating at stable mode and were once again producing more water than Austin was consuming, beginning the process of restoring water service system-wide. A leak detection and repair effort was underway across Austin to repair major water mains, the back-bone of Austin’s water delivery system, allowing excess water production to flow into Austin’s water reservoirs.

 

On February 19, 2021, as temperatures began to warm, and with road conditions improved, additional deliveries of equipment and water treatment supplies began to arrive at Austin Water treatment facilities expanding water production capacity even further.

 

On February 20, 2021, Austin Water implemented mandatory water-use restrictions and urged customers to limit water use to basic needs, critical for faster refilling of Austin’s water reservoirs and improved system pressure.


By February 21, 2021, the majority of Austin residents had seen marked service improvements with only small pockets of Austin experiencing the lingering effects of the historic freezing event. 

 

A system-wide water quality testing effort has been underway, with the first all-clear test arriving on February 21 for the Central Pressure Zone. Water delivered to the above-mentioned pressure zone meets all regulatory standards and is safe for human consumption. TCEQ has given the City of Austin the all-clear to lift the boil water notice for portions of the city. Water quality testing will continue, and customers will receive regular updates as the boil water notice is lifted city-wide.


Emergency Mandatory Water-Use Restrictions

The following emergency mandatory water-use restrictions remain in place until further notice. These restrictions are necessary to ensure that adequate water supply is available to meet customer needs while the system returns to normal operations.


During emergency water restrictions, customers may not:

  • Use water for irrigation or testing of irrigation equipment

  • Wash vehicles, including at commercial car wash facilities

  • Wash pavement or other surfaces

  • Add water to a pool or spa

  • Conduct foundation watering, or

  • Operate an ornamental fountain or pond, other than aeration necessary to support aquatic life


Austin Water continues to work closely with Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center and city, county and state agencies to coordinate the final stages of the water treatment system recovery.


Customer Resources


Customers can visit www.austintexas.gov/page/boil-water-notice-and-faqs for more information, frequently asked questions and to view the map showing areas of Austin not under the boil-water notice.

What to Do When Water is Restored/When Boil Water Notice is Lifted


What should I do as water comes on?


If you don’t have water or if your pressure is currently low, your faucets do not have to be open when water is restored. To ensure water pressure has returned, open one faucet at the highest level of your home to remove the air. If water begins to flow, move on to your next faucet or bib and repeat the same process. If water does not flow you might have a frozen pipe that needs to thaw. Ensure all lines are flushed to remove air or debris. When closing faucets, take care to close them slowly.


What do I need to do when the notice has been lifted?

When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, Austin Water will notify you that the water is safe for consumption. You should flush household pipes, ice makers, water fountains, etc. prior to using for drinking or cooking. Flushing simply means letting the water run to ensure that there is fresh water flowing through your pipes. Follow the following guidelines for flushing:

  • Run all cold water faucets in your home for one minute

  • To flush automatic ice makers, make three batches of ice and discard

  • Run water softeners through a regeneration cycle


Find more FAQs at https://www.austintexas.gov/page/boil-water-notice-and-faqs.

Austin Resource Recovery

Austin Resource Recovery Update


All curbside services resumed Monday, February 22. Please set out carts, bulk and large brush by 6:30 a.m. on your scheduled collection day. Collections may take longer than usual, due to road conditions and excess material to be collected. Please leave any uncollected carts, and other material at the curb to allow our crews to catch up over the week and into next weekend.


Scheduled large brush and bulk item collections that were missed due to the severe weather will begin on Monday and continue throughout the week until crews catch up. If you do not have a scheduled collection in the near future, please call 311 to set up a brush collection appointment.


If you have extra material to be collected as a result of the last week and the associated service delays, here is what ARR recommends you do with the extra material:

  • Recycling: once your blue cart is full, place additional recyclables in a cardboard box or other reusable container next to your cart.

  • Composting: once your green cart is full, use lawn and leaf bags or a reusable container that is no larger than 34-gallons and no heavier than 50 pounds for any excess material, and place them beside the cart. If you recently received composting bins from ARR, they were delivered by contractors (not ARR staff) as part of the final expansion of the curbside composting program.

  • Trash: once your brown cart is full, place any extra bagged household trash from your missed collection beside your cart.


Sign up for service notifications and check your schedule by downloading the Austin Recycles mobile app or visiting austintexas.gov/myschedule.

Austin Energy Billing Information


In response to media reports of potentially massive electric bills for non-Austin Energy customers who have plans controlled by variable price billing, AE stresses that they will not benefit financially in any way from the winter storm event. Austin Energy’s base rates are fixed and any changes must be authorized by Austin City Council after a thorough rate review process.


Residential customers are billed for their actual energy usage, measured in kilowatt hours (kWh), recorded from their electric meter. Anyone without power during this time period had no electric use recorded from meters during these outage events. Austin Energy customers are charged only for the power consumed and will be charged at the existing rates as approved in the November 2020 rate tariff. If a customer consumed higher than average kWh, their electric bill will be higher than a normal month. If a customer consumed less than their average kWh, their bill will be less than a normal month.

 

Austin Energy offers customers insight into their usage and bills at COAUtilities.com, giving information they need to manage their accounts and bills.

How to Get FEMA Reimbursement


President Biden has issued a disaster declaration for Travis County in response to the winter storm, and FEMA assistance is now available. Before applying, take photos of your belongings and damages, and make a list. If you have insurance, you must file a claim before applying for FEMA assistance. 


To contact FEMA and apply for assistance, visit disasterassistance.gov, download the FEMA app on your phone, or call 1-800-621-3362.

Austin Disaster Relief Network Home Repairs and Debris Clean Up


The Austin Disaster Relief Network is coordinating a volunteer effort to help Austinites with home cleanup resulting from major storm damage. Please see the press release below for more information.



MASSIVE CLEANUP COLLABORATION TO HELP CENTRAL TEXAS HOMEOWNERS RECOVER FROM WINTER STORM DAMAGE


Austin, Texas – Austin Disaster Relief Network (ADRN), Central Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (CTX VOAD) and the volunteer management platform Crisis Clean Up are collaborating with the Counties of Bastrop, Hays, Travis, Williamson to include the cities of Austin and Round Rock in a massive “Clean Up” effort. This effort has begun today to assist Central Texans in clearing homes and removing debris as a result of the recent winter storm. Home owners who have few resources and abilities will be able to request assistance in the removal of fallen trees, limbs, interiors of home water damage and other storm related damage.


Residents in Bastrop, Hays, Travis and Williamson counties can call the “Crisis Clean Up” toll free number at 1-800-329-8052 requesting assistance to clean up their home and/or debris. Client information will then be shared with a network of volunteer organizations. These organizations will coordinate cleanup with homeowners and will ultimately deploy their volunteers to homeowner locations to assist in clearing the debris and removing interior water/storm related damage. Home cleanups will take priority between over debris pick up.


“Hundreds of residents across the region have suffered tremendous damage during this past week of snow and ice,” said ADRN Executive Director Daniel Geraci. “Homes flooded as frozen pipes burst, and a several houses were damaged or lost in fires caused by space heaters. These are devastating circumstances and we can come together as a community to help these people recover and rebuild so they can return to safe and clean homes.”

The “Crisis Clean Up” line opens at 3 pm today, and will operate Monday-Saturday, 9 am – 8 pm, and Sunday, 1 pm – 6 pm. Homeowners can register for assistance through the “Crisis Clean Up” number for the next ten days until Tuesday, March 2.


DONATIONS NEEDED


Monetary donations, in the form of financial funds, are still needed at this time to help ADRN provide support to those who’ve experienced weather-related disasters. Funds will be distributed in the form of gift cards, emergency housing, and/or supplies needed to meet immediate and long-term needs.

To make a tax-deductible gift to support disaster survivors, go online to adrn.org/give and donate to the General Disaster Relief Fund or call ADRN’s Call Center at 512-806-0800.


ABOUT ADRN


Austin Disaster Relief Network (ADRN) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization comprised of more than 185 greater Austin churches and thousands of trained volunteers. ADRN’s network enables church members to organize, prepare and respond quickly in the event of a disaster, large or small. ADRN network churches, volunteers, business partners, local agencies and community organizations provide in-kind and monetary donations and additional volunteer assistance that enable ADRN to fund the rebuild/repair of survivor homes and provide immediate assistance to those in crisis. Learn more at ADRN.org.

Home Repair Program offered by the Housing and Planning Department


The Housing and Planning Department’s (HPD) home repair program can assist eligible homeowners who need repairs following the recent storms. The program provides resources to address the needs of low- to moderate-income homeowners. HPD is working closely with the Development Services Department and leveraging other City resources to provide an efficient response as possible for households seeking repairs. 

 

Information about the City’s home repair programs and assistance to qualifying households will be available on the home repair program webpage later today.

Emergency Repair Support From the Development Services Department


Beginning Monday, February 22, residents who need to make emergency repairs following the winter storm can contact the Development Services Department (DSD) Emergency Repairs Team with any emergency repair permitting questions at (512) 974-1500.


Some projects may not require permits. Additionally, work can begin right away on projects that present safety hazards to the home or business. Those residents should acquire retroactive permits as soon as possible after work begins to ensure their emergency repairs meet code requirements.

Winter Storm Recovery: How to Help


I am so grateful to the many community members, organizations, and businesses that donated time, money, and other resources to help Austin through the winter storm crisis. Recovery efforts will continue for several weeks and many organizations need continued financial and volunteer support. If you're able to donate resources, please see some ways to help below.


Austin Public Health COVID-19 Update


Rescheduling for vaccine appointments is underway for the estimated 3,300 patients who had appointments canceled starting on Feb. 13. If you had an appointment, please check your phone and email frequently for updates. Phone banks were also affected by power outages and will be back online to call those without internet access. There are plans for a queuing system, but at the moment to address the backlog, staff will manually schedule each person and provide them with a time, date and location.


Operations safely resumed on Sunday, Feb. 21, and will expand back to additional sites throughout the week. APH will also extend hours to serve as many people as possible with the vaccine APH has been allocated. APH has approximately 7,000 first doses and 7,500 second doses remaining from the Feb. 7 state allocation before the winter storm. The City and County will be providing additional resources to get these vaccines out as soon as possible.


Appointments are required for both first and second doses. Walk-ups will be turned away. Second doses are prioritized to ensure they are administered as close to the 28-day recommended interval. However, the CDC’s updated recommendations state there is no maximum time between the first and second doses for either vaccine.


Additionally, APH received 12,000 second doses from the state for the week of Feb. 14.


Leading up to the winter storm, APH was testing 10,000 people a week. All APH-affiliated testing operations will resume their normal schedules on Monday, Feb. 22. To schedule a test through APH, visit www.austintexas.gov/covid-testinfo. 

 

For additional COVID-19 information and updates, visit www.AustinTexas.gov/COVID19.

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