- NC's cost for Hurricane Helene damage is nearly $60 billion, state says
- State to develop drone program to better respond to disasters like Helene, Florence
- South Carolina residents face deadline to get storm debris out to the curb after Hurricane Helene
- SCDOT to pick up Hurricane Helene debris for a final day in South Carolina
- Hurricane Helene destroyed this county's only hospital. Now, an urgent care facility is caring for the community.
Flooding prompts boil-water notice for Austin, Texas
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Residents of the Texas state capital are being ordered to boil their tap water before drinking after flooding in recent weeks filled the lakes that feed their supply with silt, mud and debris.
The city of Austin said in a statement Monday that the water needs extended filtration and treatment before it will be safe to consume. There is no indication of bacterial infiltration.
Austin Water’s more than 1 million customers have been told to boil water intended for drinking, cooking and making ice, and avoid drinking fountains.
The boil-water notice prompted a rush on bottled water at grocery stores such as H-E-B, where shelves were emptied of supplies.
Mayor Stever Adler says that “the unprecedented rain and runoff through our entire lake system has simply overwhelmed our treatment capacity.”