Within the past century, most of the state has warmed at an average of almost 1.5F (0.8C) while rainfall has become more intense, causing increasingly severe storms and floods. However, things are progressively getting worse due to the climate crisis. Texas – the second-largest US state located in the south-central part of the country – is consistently ranked among the top 10 states mostly affected by extreme weather events, such as drought, extreme heat, and wildfires. How is Climate Change Affecting Water Supplies in Texas? The extreme storm that hit Texas in February 2021 was a big wake-up call for both the local and federal governments, as it exposed the fragility and vulnerability of water supply systems and infrastructures in Texas but also – although in less severe form – in other parts of the country, from Oklahoma City to Jackson, Mississippi. And even though some areas did not lose access to water, residents had no electricity due to the snow storm and were unable to heat it up. Failures in water pipes can lead to the development of dangerous bacteria in the water supply – the state government subsequently issued repeated warnings to its population, strongly recommending to boil water before cooking or drinking. Record-freezing temperatures caused pipes to freeze, many of which were not designed to withstand the plunge in temperatures and drop in pressure in the system, thus resulting in many pipes bursting. The problems, investigations revealed, were related to issues in the state’s water system.
In February 2021, one of the most extreme winter storms seen in decades hit Texas, causing a domino effect of power failures and breakdowns in water systems, the combination of which left nearly 15 million people across the state without electricity and even clean water for days or even weeks. We have a look at what causes water shortage in Texas and how the government is dealing with this crisis. Recurring climate disruptions, coupled with a booming population and economic growth are redefining the state’s vulnerability to nature’s unpredictable behaviour as well as to the government’s capacity to adjust.
In recent years, a series of extreme climate events have exposed huge flaws in Texas’ existing water system, leading to water shortages and droughts that have affected hundreds of thousands of residents. We explore what causes water shortage in Texas and how the state is dealing with this major crisis. The livelihood of rural Texan communities highly depends on outdated and poorly maintained aquifers and last year’s crisis was a wake-up call for both local and national governments to take immediate action and rethink the state’s water systems.
For the US state of Texas, its record-low temperatures in February 2021 revealed the fragility of its water plants, creating a snowball effect of power shortages, water system breakdowns, and widespread risks to health and food security. Extreme weather events related to climate change are forcing governments around the world to adapt their infrastructure systems accordingly to new pressures.