Houston heat: Mandatory water restrictions looming as water outage hits criminal court, several businesses
HOUSTON - Houston’s heat wave and lack of rain are wreaking havoc on the criminal justice system on Wednesday as the City of Houston reminds us the threat of mandatory water restrictions is still looming.
The severe lack of rain in Houston isn’t only sucking the life out of lawns and landscapes, it caused a water outage at the criminal courthouse keeping some from having their day in court.
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After the Harris County Criminal Courthouse lost water pressure, several inmates couldn’t be transported to the building without working restrooms, including Narciso Banos, and his wife, Francisca Carrizales, charged in connection with beating one of their employees to death.
Water pressure was restored at 9:30 a.m., but it didn’t get flowing to the upper floors of the courthouse until around 11:30 a.m.
According to the City of Houston, lack of rain has dried soil, causing aging, brittle water lines to shift, and pipe joints to break, which causes leaks.
"Yeah, the pipes underground, they’re just old," says Houston resident Marvin Davis, who realizes the city has been in a Stage One Drought Contingency Plan since June, which is still voluntary.
Davis says he’s cutting back on water usage, doing things like buying water bottles, and joining many others in not watering their lawn.
"Oh no, I can’t afford that. I water around the edges of my house, the slab. (To keep the foundation from cracking?) Yeah. That’s the only thing I can afford to do. I mean really can’t afford to do that, waiting on the water bill now," explains Houston resident Warren Henderson.
Many also aren’t running the washing machine as much.
"(So instead of maybe 4 or 5 loads, you’re doing 1 or 2 loads?) Yeah, yeah. We’re trying not to mess up too much," says Davis.
In a note on its website, IPic Theatre says their company and neighboring businesses have been experiencing low or no water pressure since August 7, and have intermittently had to close.
A number of Houstonians say they usually wish for sunshine in the summer, but recently that has changed.
"I’ve been praying for rain. I don’t know a rain dance, but been praying for rain. I’ve been asking for it for a minute now," smiles Davis.
Houston Public Works is monitoring the water system closely and says with an increase in water leaks and usage, they are urging residents to cut back, and conserve water voluntarily so mandatory restrictions aren’t put in place.