Over 3.4 million Texans still facing disrupted water supplies

Volunteers deliver water to local residents in vehicles at Butler Stadium after an unprecedented winter storm in Houston, Texas, U.S., February 21, 2021. REUTERS/Adrees Latif

A little over 3.4 million people in Texas in 204 counties still had issues with their water supply as of Tuesday evening, compared to over 7.9 million people a day earlier, a spokesman for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) said.

A deadly winter storm caused widespread blackouts last week across Texas, a state unaccustomed to extreme cold, killing at least two dozen people and knocking out power to more than 4 million people at its peak.

“As of 6 p.m. Tuesday, 44 Public Water Systems are non-operational, affecting 18,019 Texans. 1,205 PWSs are on a boil water notice, affecting 3,422,760 Texans. 712 boil water notices have been rescinded. 204 counties are reporting PWS issues,” the spokesman said in an emailed statement.