The arctic blast know as Winter Storm Viola has certainly left its mark across the country and even down here in Central Texas.

Millions of homes were without power for days and frozen or burst water pipes are just some of the issues we've had to deal with since Monday, February 15.

As power has returned, lots of homes are still without water. Several cities have boil water notices in effect and Killeen, Temple and Copperas Cove have all set up water stations to help folk that need it.

Our new partners at KWTX are reporting that Waco Mayor Dillon Meek and McLennan County Judge Scott Felton have issued orders that require all cleaning/dyeing and laundry plants, commercial laundries, self-service laundries, and car washes in the city and county to cease all operations until noon on Monday and asks other commercial and residential customers to reduce consumption and limit use to no more than one gallon a day per person. 

The orders were issued as a way to protect Waco's water supply. According to a press release, “These steps are necessary because our water supply remains critically low, while we do not expect shutting off the water throughout the entire city, a community-wide boil water notice is imminent if demand doesn’t change.”

“This demand is being caused by leaks around the city and high usage. The City of Waco is pumping twice our normal daily usage and the system’s storage is sitting at a critically low capacity."

The orders also encourage the use of paper/plastic goods to help reduce the need for items to be washed.

Any violation to the order could result in fines as much as $1,000, a Class C misdemeanor.

Residents in McLennon County who need to report leaks or low water pressure should call (254) 299-2489.


UPDATE: The City of Killeen has prohibited washing of cars either at home or at businesses until further notice. The city remains under Stage 5 conservation and a boil water notice.



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