UPDATE
Gov. Greg Abbott released another statement about the ongoing water situation in Marlin:
"At the Governor’s direction, the Texas Division of Emergency Management has:
- Delivered 20 pallets of bottled drinking water for local distribution
- Contracted for potable water tankers to supply clean drinking water
- Deployed regional field staff who remain tied in with local officials to address response and recovery efforts
- Mobilized the Texas A&M Public Works Response Team to assist local officials with diagnosing operational issues."
“Texas continues to provide assistance to the City of Marlin as the community faces water outages and a boil water notice," said Abbott via the release.
UPDATE
Gov. Greg Abbott has formally issued a disaster declaration for the City of Marlin in response to the water outage. The proclamation opens up the possibility of using state resources and funding to address the crisis.
The proclamation reads, "I....do hereby certify that catastrophic failure of the City of Marlin's public drinking water system resulted in a water outage that poses an immediate threat to public health and safety in Falls County.
UPDATE
The City of Marlin has provided another update today, noting that showers and laundry are available at the First Baptist Church of Marlin at 309 Coleman Street.
The city says eight showers, four washers and four dryers are available. The church is serving up to 700 meals daily. Hours for the church Monday through Saturday are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 8 p.m.
There is a dump tank behind City Hall with water available for toilet flushing. Neighbors need to bring buckets or containers to use it. The water is not safe for drinking.
Beginning Monday, St. Joseph Catholic church will have bottled water available for pickup at 10 a.m. as long as supplies last.
UPDATE
The City of Marlin continues to work through water plant issues. Shower and laundry facilities are expected to be up and running later Saturday.
Schedules for water and show availability will be posted on the city website once they become available.
ORGINAL STORY
The City of Marlin continues to respond to a water crisis following storm-related damage to its water plant, which has left residents without reliable water service since Friday evening.
According to city officials, power disruptions during the storm are believed to have damaged the water plant's computer and electrical systems. Despite the involvement of experienced contractors, a definitive diagnosis and solution have not yet been found.
City staff remain dedicated to resolving the issue and have partnered with the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to coordinate emergency services. Earlier this week, Mayor Byrd issued a Declaration of Disaster and sent a formal request for assistance to the Governor’s Office.
Mayor Byrd has also communicated with State Senator Brian Birdwell and State Representative Angelia Orr, both of whom are actively working to support the community.
In the meantime,mobile shower and laundry units have been brought in for residents.City officials will announce specific locations and operating times in a forthcoming update.
