MARLIN, Texas (KXXV) — Marlin residents have gone nearly a week without water, raising serious concerns about conditions inside the William P. Hobby Unit prison. Families of inmates report limited access to clean water.
- Marlin has been without water for nearly a week, prompting a disaster declaration and emergency funding for water tankers.
- Families of inmates at the William P. Hobby Unit report inhumane conditions, including limited water, overflowing toilets, and a lack of sanitation.
- The Texas Department of Criminal Justice says the prison is self-sustaining with bottled water and portable facilities, but families say it's not enough.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“But to live inhumane like that…nobody should have to live like that,” said the mother of a Hobby Unit inmate, Tammy Totura.
People in Marlin are now going on an entire week without any water.
Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration, while the city also approved $200,000 to buy two portable water tankers.
“It breaks my heart,” Totura said.
Over the past week, several community members have been reaching out to 25 News with their concerns about the lack of water being distributed at the local prison, the William P. Hobby unit.
25 News spoke with the mother of one inmate, who says the conditions inside are nearly unbearable.
“She said they are not providing enough water. In her dorm, there are over 100 inmates, and they are bringing them one small barrel of water,” Totura said.
Another neighbor reached out about the lack of showers, adding the prison made only two porta potties available for the inmates.
“She said that you can not sit on the toilets because they are overflowing with feces and the smell is God awful to the point where the girls are pooping in bags and throwing it out the windows,” Totura said.
25 news reached out to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to find out what was being done about the problem and got this statement, which reads...
‘The agency is aware of the water issues affecting the Marlin community. However, the Hobby Unit remains self-sustaining with on-site shower trailers, portable toilets, and a water tanker to support daily operations. Inmates are provided with bottled water to ensure access to clean drinking water.’
But Tammy says it's not enough.
“ They might get two gallons of water once daily to flush their toilets, wash their clothes, cook with, and wash their bodies with,” Totura said.
The city of Marlin will hold a city council meeting Wednesday at 6:00 p.m., during which they are expected to give an update on water restoration efforts and consider extending the disaster declaration.
25 News will attend that meeting and provide updates on air and online.
