Expand / Collapse search
☰

Austin breweries help supply water while city waits for shipments

By
Published  February 18, 2021 11:57pm CST
Austin
FOX 7 Austin

Austin breweries help supply water while city waits for shipments

After Austin Water customers found their faucets running dry, Meanwhile Brewing decided sharing their supply was the right thing to do. 

AUSTIN, Texas - Tens of thousands of people in Austin are without water after the city's largest water treatment plant lost power.

Although the plant is now back online, Austin Water said it will take several days before the city's water is fully restored.   

Austin Water director Greg Meszaros was unable to provide a specific timeline for when water would be returned to all customers, but city officials said they have purchased water that will be distributed to the community once it arrives.

That shipment is coming from out of state and will "take time" to be delivered according to the City of Austin Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management director Juan Ortiz. 

Tens of thousands in Austin without water

Many in Austin are without water after the city's largest water treatment plant lost power. While the plant is back online, there's not exact timetable for when water will be back for all customers. FOX 7 Austin's Tierra Neubaum has details.

RELATED: Hospitals struggle as weather cripples state's infrastructure 

In the meantime, it's neighbor helping neighbor at Meanwhile Brewing Company. The staff there spent Thursday filling up jugs, kegs, and other containers free of charge to anyone who could get there safely. 

"If anybody knows anybody that needs water, we still got some," said Nao Ohdera, director of brewing operations at Meanwhile Brewing Company. 

"We’ve been giving water to neighborhood people, we’ve given it out to some children’s hospitals and people delivering it to other people in need," he added. 

Focus shifts to water as electricity returns to Austin Water’s biggest plant

Crews have to work slowly and restore the water in sections at this time. Meanwhile Austin Energy is slowly getting people's electricity back on.

RELATED: Price gouging plagues Texans searching for lodging, necessities amid winter storm

After Austin Water customers found their faucets running dry, Meanwhile Brewing decided sharing their supply was the right thing to do. "We have about 3,000 gallons of purified water in our tanks, that we usually use for brewing, but we have all that. We don’t have any more running water at the brewery, but that’s good to go, so we were like let’s get it out to people," Ohdera said.   

Water bottles are already scarce at stores in the city and so far no city-led water distribution sites are running. As for the water treatment plant which got Austin into this mess to begin with, no immediate help there either.

DOWNLOAD THE FOX 7 AUSTIN NEWS APP

Winter storm continues to cripple small Texas towns 

Those in small Central Texas towns like Granger are struggling due to a lack of power, water, and even damage to their homes and businesses.

"It’s going to be a multi-day process to restore pressure and service and then clear the system for use," said Meszaros.

Thanks to the freezing cold temperatures, Austin Water officials said pipe leaks, line breaks and dripping faucets almost completely drained the water system. Once the city's largest treatment plant lost power, even those who still had water couldn't drink from the tap without boiling it first and, even then, they're asked to conserve. 

SIGN UP FOR FOX 7 AUSTIN EMAIL ALERTS

"Please be very thoughtful. The water you use is water that another customer may not have," Meszaros said. 

Turning the water back on at hospitals and health care centers is the city's first priority, as is the distribution to more vulnerable communities. 

ERCOT eases order for utilities to shed power

ERCOT grid managers released local utilities from a Monday order to shed power.

For now, Meszaros' best advice to customers is to "reach out to friends and neighbors and others that may have water service and they can maybe fill up jugs or other sources of water for them to boil or to use." 

RELATED: With half of Texas under a boil water notice, state efforts shift to emerging water crisis

Thankfully, Meanwhile Brewery is one step ahead. "Bring your own container and please be safe getting here," Ohdera said.  

The brewery will continue to give away free water as long as they still have a supply. They plan to be open 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friday, but encourage people to check with them before hitting the roads and be careful driving. 

Besides Meanwhile here's a list of other breweries and businesses offering water to those who need it. People who decide to go are reminded to bring their own containers.