UPDATE: 11/30/2022 - BOIL WATER NOTICE HAS BEEN LIFTED AND THE CITY IS RETURNING TO NORMAL.
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Well this caught the entire city off guard. Things going along like normal, the end of a long weekend, getting ready to wrap things up and head to bed and then boom! Don't drink the water!
ALMOST THREE MILLION PEOPLE AFFECTED.
But we are prepared, scroll further down for that.
Houston Public Works Issues Boil Water Notice: PUBLIC WORKS 11-27-2022
Houston Public Works Issues Boil Water Notice
Houston, Texas – A boil water notice has been issued for the City of Houston’s Main Water System (TX1010013). Earlier today, the water pressure dropped below the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s required minimum of 20 PSI during a power outage at the East Water Purification Plant on Sunday.
As a result of the Boil Water Notice, the public is advised:
*Do not drink the water without boiling it first.
*Bring all water to a boil for at least two minutes.
*Let it cool before using.
*Individuals without power to boil water are advised to use bottled water for consumption.
To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes.
In lieu of boiling, individuals may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source for drinking water or human consumption purposes.
When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, the public water system officials will notify customers that the water is safe for drinking water or human consumption purposes. It could be Tuesday before the all clear is issued.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand/mail.
This is not the first time, we had a random event a few years ago similar to this...and then during the epic freeze in 2021, we had the same issue.
We try to keep our "water cabinet" as we call it, fully stocked. Jugs of water for our coffee/tea maker, some soft drinks for 2nd Man...
Flavored sparking water for variety and regular bottled water as a backup (usually for cooking). This picture is from the last time we had this happen, we're a bit low now because I haven't been to the store since before Thanksgiving but...
...we have a water dispenser machine that we use for our main drinking. We always have a max of 15 gallons on hand. We have one in the machine, one beside it for when it runs out and another in the back of the closet for emergencies. We have a delivery service and get two bottles every other week since that's about when we run low but last night, when the breaking news starting blowing up our phones and interrupting TV, I got the backup one out and when the one in the machine runs out, we are good.
No boiling for us.
Always be prepared!
Good on you learning from 2021's debacle to have that bit tucked away - I know I always feel a bit more secure with my Hurricane Shelf well stocked.
ReplyDeleteYep, when we heard the news we thought, well, we won't have to worry about this event. At the farm we'll have well water but will probably still be prepared, ha.
DeleteYour water cabinet is such a great idea. Especially with all of our weird weather and then unexpected emergencies like this Boil Water Notice. It's smart to plan ahead!
ReplyDeleteThanks, we needed a cabinet when we moved to the apartment to put our coffeemaker and have a place for coffee and tea etc. Then we realized how perfect it works for this and it has evolved, ha.
DeleteIs the water cabinet refrigerated, or is that just a portion of the cabinets where you store the water? At least you are prepared! I hope the boil warning ends soon.
ReplyDeleteGreat question, no it's just a regular cabinet. 2nd Man will put soft drinks in the fridge a few at a time. The water we'll use if we need it and the machine of course gives us instant cold or hot so that's always good. I'll have to get a picture of it sometime.
DeleteYes, the boil water notice ended Tuesday so it was about two days.
Always good to be prepared.
ReplyDeleteHa, I can almost picture you going back and forth to and from the swimming pool area once again.
Enjoy your day.
Ha, you remember that. Yeah, that was a story for the ages, ha. We had to use it to flush the toilets. Then we had no water at all coming out of the faucets because the city lost all water pressure. In retrospect, the buckets from the pool is funny. :-)
DeleteWhen I heard about the water problems in Houston and thought about you guys. Glad you are prepared. Hope the boil alert ends quickly.
ReplyDeleteYep, it was pretty crazy. School districts closed for two days, restaurants closed, grocery stores were of course out of water and some departments in the stores were closed if it required hand washing (deli, butcher, etc). Crazy times but it helps to be prepared!
DeleteGood to hear that the situation has been lifted.
ReplyDeleteWe don't know just how much we missed something until it's gone.
Take care, stay warm and have a wonderful day.
Right now, it's 37 deg. @ 3:14AM
The farm got down to 39 overnight but wow today has been gorgeous, just the perfect temp with sunny skies. Hope you have great weather as well!
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