Drought causes low water levels in Mississippi River
Water levels along the Mississippi River have dropped to near-record lows due to ongoing drought.
Officials in Houston lifted a boil water notice for the city's main water system on Tuesday.
"Customers no longer need to boil water before drinking, cooking and making ice. Water quality testing submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has confirmed that tap water meets all regulatory standards and is safe to drink," the city said in a release.
The order had been in effect since Sunday after a power outage at the East Water Purification Plant caused pressure to drop.
The notice, which impacted all of the city of 2 million people and some adjacent areas, was issued out of an abundance of caution.
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John Beezley, of Bonham, buys cases of water after learning that a boil water notice was issued for the entire city of Houston on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022, at Walmart on S. Post Oak Road in Houston. ((Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP))
The order led to the closure of businesses and schools, including the Houston Independent School District.
The district canceled classes on Monday and Tuesday.
People shop for bottled water after a boil water notice was issued for the entire city of Houston on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022, at Walmart on S. Post Oak Rd. in Houston. ((Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP))
Mayor Sylvester Turner said that because the issue was within the plant’s system, backup power generators would not have made a difference.
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Since the transformers were down, they couldn’t transmit power to the plant.
Turner also said that the power system at the water plant undergoes regular maintenance and that he has ordered a diagnostic review of the system.
Water is stocked at Walmart after a boil water notice was issued for the entire city of Houston on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022, at Walmart on S. Post Oak Road in Houston. ((Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP))
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Customers are instructed to flush their water system by running cold-water faucets for at least one minute, cleaning automatic ice makers by making and discarding several batches of ice and running water softeners through a regeneration cycle.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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