Texas town declares ‘water emergency,’ tells residents that it could run out of water

A city in Texas is declaring a “water emergency,” telling residents that they must severely reduce their water usage.

The city government of Gunter, Texas, sent a letter to residents on Wednesday stating that the city’s water storage tanks are unable to be refilled due to “excessive water consumption” and could be in a situation where the city runs out of water.

Residents were told to “cease all outdoor watering until further notice” as well as to minimize or eliminate the usage of “Dishwashers, washing machines, use of showers and sink water, and any other nonessential water usage.”

The city sent a “daily water briefing to residents on Thursday, stating it could “maintain water levels for the citizens of Gunter,” but told residents that the city is remaining under “emergency water restrictions.”

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According to the letter, there is a mechanical issue with the wells that is being caused, in part, by the extreme heat.

“As communicated yesterday, water-wells are mechanical in nature and subject to failure when being run continuously. Wells are typically designed to run at 50-60% of the time. Due to extreme heat, drought conditions and water demand, these wells were running continuously which is why they continue to fail,” the letter states.

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City officials described issues with two wells that they say are in the process of being addressed but said that the timeline for repairs is unknown.

In the letter, city officials said that residents of Gunter should continue to conserve water.

“Please continue all conservation efforts and do not waste water. Under no circumstances, until further notice, outdoor watering is NOT allowed. Limit your indoor water use to necessities. Refer to yesterday’s communication for specifics,” the letter states.