Energy & Environment

Winter Storm 2021

Central Texas experienced historic winter weather the week of Feb. 14, with a stretch of days below freezing. Sleet followed snow followed freezing rain, leading to a breakdown of the electric grid and widespread power outages. Water reservoirs were depleted and frozen pipes burst, leaving some without service for days.

Hays County: Here's Where To Get Water After The Historic Winter Storm

KUT 90.5 | By Riane Roldan

Published February 21, 2021 at 10:59 AM CST

Pinthouse Brewing employees in South Austin refill water containers on Saturday. Many businesses in Travis and Hays counties are providing residents with clean water while many face water outages and cities are under boil-water notices. — Pinthouse Brewing employees in South Austin refill water containers on Saturday. Businesses in Travis and Hays counties are providing residents with clean water while many face water outages and cities are under boil-water notices.

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While most people in Hays County have their power back, many are still without water.

Water Distribution

The following sites are distributing water on Sunday. Most are asking residents to bring their own containers.

Hays High School, 4800 Jack C. Hays Trail. Bring your own container. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

VFW Post 6441, 401 Jacobs Well Road. Bring your own container. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tom Green Elementary School, 1301 Old Goforth Road. Bottled water distribution from noon until 4 p.m.

Buda YMCA, 465 Buda Sportsplex Drive. Bring your own container. Noon to 4 p.m. The YMCA is also opening up their locker room showers starting Monday for anyone affected by the outages. The showers will be available during operating hours.

Home Depot, 3730 Dry Hole Road. Monarch Utilities is setting up a bottled water distribution site at noon.

The Dripping Springs Chamber of Commerce has a list of local businesses that are providing water to residents.

Water Conservation

Kyle is still under a boil-water notice. The boil-water notice for San Marcos was lifted on Sunday after testing confirmed that the water is safe to drink. The notice for parts of Buda east of Onion Creek was lifted Monday morning.

San Marcos and Buda are asking people to conserve water as much as possible.

Conserving water will help stabilize the water pressure within the water distribution system, the City of San Marcos said.

"Reducing water usage is the only way to increase water pressure in the system following pressure reductions and fluctuations due to winter weather, state-mandated rolling electrical outages, and supply and demand," the city wrote on Facebook.

Residents are asked to refrain from doing activities that require large amounts of water, like doing laundry or running the dishwasher.

To report a water outage, email waterwastewaterinfo@sanmarcostx.gov or call 512-393-8010.

Got a tip? Email Riane Roldan at rroldan@kut.org. Follow her on Twitter @RianeRoldan.

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