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Whispers
Thursday, October 25, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Water quality improving
Austin Water spokesperson Emlea Chanslor said Wednesday that turbidity levels at the city’s three water treatment plants had dropped significantly. Turbidity refers to cloudiness and is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. Just before the boil water notice was issued, the turbidity level at the city’s three plants was around 400. On Wednesday night, at the Handcox Plant, known as Water Treatment Plant 4, the number was below 100; at Ulrich, it was around 200; and at Davis, it was around 170. The normal turbidity level is just 5. Clearly the newer plant is doing a better job of clearing the silt in the Colorado River and making the water safe to drink. However, Austin Water wants its customers to know they should continue to conserve and to boil the water coming out of their taps until further notice.
Thursday, October 25, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Voting enthusiasm continues
Monday saw a groundswell of voting for the Nov. 6 election, with about 6 percent of Travis County’s registered voters casting early ballots. But former political consultant Peck Young, who serves as director of the Center for Public Policy and Political Studies at Austin Community College, said we should wait until we saw the vote on Tuesday and Wednesday before deciding that the election would actually be historic. On Tuesday 35,239 voters, or about 4.5 percent, voted, and on Wednesday the number was 31,961, or 4.08 percent, for a total by Wednesday night of 93,814 votes cast, or 14.58 percent of the county’s registered voters. It wasn’t that easy to vote on Wednesday either. With nearly continuous rain, voters holding umbrellas were observed standing in a long line outside the Randalls on Ben White Wednesday afternoon. At Austin Community College, more than 1,700 voters cast ballots on both Monday and Tuesday, but that number had dipped only slightly to 1,582 on Wednesday. More than 5,000 voters cast ballots at the University of Texas Flawn Academic Center, and 2,800 more voted at the Perry-Castañeda Library in the first three days.
Thursday, October 25, 2018 by Katy McElroy
Boil water notice, emergency use restrictions continue
While the water quality is getting better, the citywide boil water notice is still in effect, and is now mandatory: Water should be kept at a rolling boil for three minutes.
In addition, Austin Water has issued a reminder that the city is operating under emergency water conservation rules until further notice. Tips on how to conserve include:
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Avoid all outdoor water use and minimize indoor use immediately.
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Don’t use water for irrigation or testing of irrigation equipment.
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Don’t wash vehicles, including at commercial car wash facilities.
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Don’t wash pavement or other surfaces.
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Don’t add water to a pool or spa.
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Don’t conduct foundation watering.
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Don’t operate an ornamental fountain or pond, other than aeration necessary to support aquatic life.
Schools are providing water for student use. In addition, the city and county are providing free water for those with special needs, who need bottled water for work, or who are unable to boil water themselves. The water is available at five distribution sites, which are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.:
Walnut Creek Park (12138 N. Lamar Blvd.)
City of Austin Warehouse, formerly Home Depot (7211 N. Interstate 35)
Roy G. Guerrero Park (400 Grove Blvd.)
Onion Creek Soccer Complex (5600 E. William Cannon Dr.)
Dick Nichols Park (8011 Beckett Rd.)
Pickup is available in the driveway area of the locations. Supplies are limited to a gallon of water per person.
“We understand that this has had a significant impact on the community,” said City Manager Spencer Cronk in a press release. “As a result, we want to ensure that the basic needs of residents are being met. The most important thing for the community to do is to conserve water and to boil water for drinking and cooking.”
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Another Amazon (non)update
Mum continues to be the word out of the Austin Chamber concerning possible recent follow-up visits to Austin by Amazon executives charged with deciding where the company builds its massive HQ2 project. The Austin Business Journal lobbed the most recent inquiries at the chamber, which has handled all aspects of the city’s bid, following an Oct. 19 Wall Street Journal story that detailed return trips made to New York City, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey, in recent months. That story also noted the company contacted officials in Miami and the Washington, D.C., area, which has three separate sites still alive in the pool of 20 possible metro areas. Chamber reps said they had nothing new to share concerning Amazon and revealed absolutely nothing, no matter how you parse the statement. Company executives visited Austin and Dallas earlier this year, and the final site will reportedly be announced by the end of the year.
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 by Katy McElroy
Youth after-school art program starts 23rd year
The Parks and Recreation Department kicked off its 23rd Totally Cool Totally Art program on Monday, the after-school program that supports Austin-area teenagers with creative inclinations. TCTA brings together local artists and recreation center staff members to provide free art instruction and mentoring to students in seventh through 12th grades. Recreation centers around the city participate, and snacks and transportation options are available at many locations. Students can explore a variety of mediums; this year’s focus is on metalsmithing, urban art (painting), S.T.E.A.M., and short film. The program runs through May 2019 and caps off with two exhibitions, one at Mexic-Arte and one at the Dougherty Arts Center. View the full session schedule here and contact your local rec center to sign up a student.
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 by Katy McElroy
Awards to honor Central Texas leaders dedicated to improving air quality
The Capital Area Council of Governments is accepting nominations for their annual Air Central Texas Awards. These awards are given to organizations and individuals to celebrate activities that have made significant contributions to regional air quality. The two awards are:
- Air Central Texas Outstanding Organization Award – given to an organization that has shown exceptional leadership on air quality issues
- Bill Gill Central Texas Air Quality Leadership Award – given to an individual who has made a significant and lasting impact on Central Texas air quality
Review award guidelines and submit nominations here by 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2.
Tuesday, October 23, 2018 by Katy McElroy
Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink (unless it’s been boiled)
In case you somehow haven’t heard, Austin is under a boil water advisory until further notice. All water used for cooking, ice or drinking should be boiled for at least three minutes. As can be expected, this has been affecting local restaurants and grocery stores as well: The Austin Chronicle has a handy list of establishments that are closed or serving restricted menus, which will be updated as this saga continues. The city has also issued emergency water use restrictions, meaning that outdoor use of water is prohibited, including:
- Using water for irrigation or testing of irrigation equipment
- Washing vehicles, including at commercial car wash facilities
- Washing pavement or other surfaces
- Adding water to a pool or hot tub
- Conducting foundation watering
- Operating an ornamental fountain or pond, other than aeration necessary to support aquatic life
Tuesday, October 23, 2018 by Katy McElroy
Celebrate roots and wings this weekend
Can’t decide whether to party in observance of Arbor Day or for Monarch Appreciation Day? Well, this year you don’t have to. This year there will be a joint celebration of both nature holidays at the Zilker Botanical Garden. The Roots and Wings Festival is Saturday, Oct 27, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 2220 Barton Springs Road, with free parking on Stratford Drive. Nature-inspired costumes are encouraged, and a costume parade will happen at 1:30 p.m. Other activities include a singing zoologist, a butterfly tag-and-release station, a kids’ tree climb with city arborists, and nature walks. Bring your own picnic, or grab something to go from the food truck. There is a small entrance fee – $1 for kids under 12 and seniors 62 and over, $2 for Austin resident adults, and $3 for nonresidents – and the event will take place rain or shine.
Tuesday, October 23, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
ASSET launches
A new coalition introduced itself to Texas yesterday. The Alliance for Securing and Strengthening the Economy in Texas (or “ASSET”) released a press release announcing its official launch and vowed to “fight for public policies that protect Texas small business owners from burdensome, California-style government regulations.” The 501(c)(4) nonprofit explained that it “believes it is in the best interest of the Texas economy to defend state sovereignty by passing a statewide law to preempt local governments from unilaterally enacting piecemeal local employment and labor laws affecting private employer operational business practices like employer benefits, scheduling, and hiring practices. … Texas businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to operate under these unfunded mandates and burdensome regulations. ASSET believes statewide legislation should be signed into law to prohibit municipalities from instituting local ordinances regulating business practices.” According to that same press release, members include the Real Estate Council of Texas, the Texas Apartment Association, the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association and the Texas Association of Builders.
Tuesday, October 23, 2018 by Alyx Wilson
ZAP calls for Cap Remap equity check
At the most recent meeting of the Zoning and Platting Commission, commissioners unanimously approved a resolution calling for interlocal agreements regarding transit connectivity between the city of Austin and the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The resolution is intended to encourage Capital Metro to improve its bus schedule in areas with low-income households and high minority populations, in response to allegations that Capital Metro had violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and that its new “Every 15” minutes campaign is intentionally misleading. Commissioners David King and Ana Aguirre’s presentation pointed out areas of the Cap Remap route map with potential issues. Some members of the public had expressed concern regarding the new route maps’ potential disparate impact on minority populations living in Northeast, East and South Austin, saying that individuals in those areas encounter wait times between 45 and 60 minutes for buses as opposed to 15-30 minutes for “white millennials” near the University of Texas campus and Mueller. The commission passed the resolution unanimously 7-0, with commissioners Dustin Breithaupt, Sunil Lavani, Nadia Barrera-Ramirez and Bruce Evans absent.
Monday, October 22, 2018 by Katy McElroy
Who’s running for mayor?
The Austin Monitor, KUT, Glasshouse Policy and A Functional Democracy will be wrapping up our candidate forum series tonight with a conversation with the mayoral candidates. The forum will start at 7 p.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1164 San Bernard St. Those who are free earlier can join us for a happy hour at Full Circle Bar, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. RSVP here.
Monday, October 22, 2018 by Katy McElroy
UPDATED: Austin Water urges city to reduce water use
Update 11:30 a.m.: The city of Austin is now also on a boil water notice. Residents should boil water before drinking or cooking with it, or use bottled water.
Austin Water has issued an urgent call for all city residents to make efforts to reduce their water intake. According to a press release from the department: “Historic flood waters flowing into our region’s water supply lakes, the Highland Lakes, contain much higher levels of debris, silt, and mud. As a result, Austin water is experiencing reduced water treatment capacity. It is taking more time to filter and treat the water to remove the higher levels of silt and debris.” Apparently the enormous amount of extra water in the lakes is causing the water to be 100 times cloudier than usual, requiring that much more effort to deliver clean water to homes and businesses. Therefore, the utility is asking for residents to help out by reducing their water usage as much as they can, including by stopping outdoor watering and minimizing indoor water use by taking shorter showers and postponing washing clothes and dishes as long as possible. Visit AustinWater.org for updates, and follow the utility on Facebook and Twitter.