Houston residents still without water weeks after winter storm
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Some people in Houston haven't had water since the winter storm hit the city. Now, more than three weeks since its impact, an apartment complex just started to get its water turned back on.
Najdi Mourad hasn't had water for three weeks. In that time, he's had to take showers at his work or a friend's house. And with no water, he can't do dishes or his laundry.
This all going on while he's trying to make a living.
"Go to work, come back and see it like this," Mourad told ABC13.
He showed us around his apartment on Tuesday at the Villas Del Paseo complex in southwest Houston. The dishes were stacked in the sink because he had no water to clean them. When he turned on the faucets, nothing came out.
In fact, the only water in his apartment was covering his floor. The water ruined a rug his mother sent him from Morocco, his native country.
After three weeks, there was good news. By Tuesday evening, the complex management said water had been restored to 81% on the west side of the property and 100% on the east side.
The community manager at Villas Del Paseo sent a statement saying:
"Our team has been working tirelessly to restore water for our residents, and will continue to work nonstop until water access is completely restored. 100% of water is restored on the east side of the property and 81% of water is restored on the westside of the property. The remaining buildings are currently being worked on and plumbers are onsite. One of the biggest challenges we are working hard to overcome continues to be access to needed supplies, labor and resources - an issue many are experiencing across Texas. We have brought in more plumbing/maintenance teams from Dallas and elsewhere to get water access restored for our residents as quickly as possible."
To help assist families in need, deputy constables dropped off water to locations across Harris County where people either didn't have water or were advised not to drink the water.
Water line breaks could mean more water usage but city leaders want to make sure you don't get charged for that. On Wednesday, city council is set to vote on the water bill relief program, which means you wouldn't have to pay for extra water usage if you had a pipe burst in your home.
Until the program is approved, the Houston Public Works Department recommends you pay the amount on your previous bill before the winter storm so you don't incur any late fees.
