Latest news with #AustinWater
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Austin one of 20 finalists for environmental sustainability innovation award
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin was named as a finalist for an award that recognizes innovative efforts to strengthen environmental sustainability through community engagement. The city of Austin was one of 20 finalists for the 2025 National Civic League's All-America City Award. According to the city, its Climate Equity Plan, which included contributions from more than 200 community members and organizations, contributed to the nomination. The city said the plan included: Achieving net-zero community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 Achieving 90% waste diversion by 2040 Reducing single-occupancy vehicle dependency with plans for a new light rail Expanding Austin Energy's clean energy portfolio Ensuring Austin's water needs are protected amid increasing climate pressures through Austin Water's 100-year plan 'This decade of bold action and innovation demonstrates Austin's dedication to environmental sustainability, resilience, and equity — core values driving our vision for a thriving, inclusive community,' said Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax. 'As highlighted in our Community Participation framework, Austin's greatest asset is its people: passionate about our city, committed to its improvement, and determined to see this vision become a reality.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Gallons of sewage backs up into Austin family's home due to construction mishap
The Brief A family's life was turned upside down after gallons of sewage backed up into her home This was due to a mishap during a city construction project last fall The home is still unlivable months after this happened AUSTIN, Texas - A West Austin woman says her family's life was turned upside down, after gallons and gallons of sewage backed up into her home. It was caused by a mishap during a city construction project last fall, but months later her home is still unlivable. Local perspective It's safe to say October 22, 2024, is a day Carol Hawkins will never forget. A city contractor was working on the South Tarrytown Water and Wastewater Renewal Project. But, in the midst of that work, the city says a sewage line was damaged, and failed, sending sewage gushing into Hawkins' Dormarion Lane home. "It was a horrible mess when I came in," said Hawkins. "Sewage had backed up, overflowed the toilet, pretty much filled up the bath tub." She began cleaning up the mess herself, injuring her knee, as she frantically tried to find a plumber. "Oh, it was god awful," said Hawkins. "It was covering the whole bathroom floor out into the hall." The sewage even flooded into the living room and two bedrooms, in the cherished home that Hawkins grew up in. "I just kept thinking, my mother would feel horrible if she saw this. She was also always so fastidious about her house, and it felt like a sacrilege," said Hawkins. Hawkins and her husband, who is terminally ill, had to move into their garage apartment, displacing her granddaughter who had been staying there. Three days later, the city contractor sent a crew in to clean up the carpets and make some repairs. But when it came to fixing the actual damage? "The contractor said, 'We'll fix this for you. You can be sure we're going to take care of you,'" said Hawkins. Days turned into weeks. Hawkins says she called the city multiple times, including the mayor's office, but wasn't given a clear roadmap of what was supposed to happen next. "Everybody's been very nice, but nobody's helped," said Hawkins. She was eventually told she would have to deal directly with the city's insurance company. "The first adjuster was not there for a month, and I would call and call and call and call," said Hawkins. Then, she learned it was up to her to find bids for contractors to do the work, which includes redoing floors, ripping up carpets, and replacing walls and moldings. At 79, she says that's been overwhelming, as she juggles caring for her husband and a part-time job. "The person who's been deluged by sewage should not be expected to fix everything," said Hawkins. Five months later, the home is still unlivable. "This is where we gather. We couldn't be together here for Thanksgiving. We couldn't be together here for Christmas," said Hawkins. What they're saying 7 On Your Side reached out to the city. The agencies responsible for the project, Austin Water and Capital Delivery Services, sent a joint statement, saying in part: "The contractor referred the damage to the City's Rolling-Owner Controlled Insurance Program (ROCIP) team on October 28 after collecting necessary information. A subsequent claim was filed by the City's insurance provider is actively working with the property owner to reach an agreement to provide financial compensation to cover repair costs." The city said it could not give further details because of a policy not to discuss open and ongoing claims, but says it has a process to assist homeowners in these cases: Immediately repair the damaged pipeline to prevent further backups. Hire a specialized contractor to conduct clean-up inside the affected property. Refer the property owner to the City's insurance provider so that the property owner can arrange financial compensation to cover repair costs. The homeowner obtains three bids for the repair from companies of their choosing, and financial compensation from the city is based on these bids. The city confirmed that all these steps were followed in Hawkins' case, but she wishes there was more guidance along the way. "Just to have someone who could smooth the path, so that the person who has the sewage dumped on them doesn't have to swim through it for four more months," said Hawkins. What's next Despite everything, Hawkins was able to get those bids, and things are now moving forward. "They finally agreed that they would pay that amount. It looks like there's now a light at the end of our tunnel," said Hawkins. Hawkins says she hopes that by getting her story out, the process will be smoother for others. "I'm just so grateful that you all do this," said Hawkins. The city says situations like this are very rare, and no other homes on Hawkins' block were affected. As for her home, she's hoping the repairs will be wrapped up in the next month or two. The Source Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's John Krinjak
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
How does the city of Austin decide which homeless encampments to clear?
AUSTIN (KXAN) — When deciding which homeless encampments to clear, the city of Austin ranks encampments based on metrics such as public safety and nearby critical infrastructure, according to Austin's Homeless Strategy Officer, David Gray. The question was posed after the city of Austin relocated 32 people living in a homeless encampment in southeast Austin due to 'high wildfire risk.' The camp was near Ben White Boulevard and Montopolis Boulevard. The Austin Fire Department responded to 35 fire-related calls at the location in 2024, determining that a 'major' fire in this area may affect essential services and critical infrastructure, a release from the city Wednesday said. There's a 4-million-gallon water storage and pump facility, operated by Austin Water, as well as 'one of the largest federally qualified healthcare centers' that serves low-income residents near the encampment. A wildfire would force patients to evacuate and 'impact one of the most frequented walk-up healthcare access points in Austin-Travis County,' the city said. So how does the city decide which homeless encampments to target? According to Gray, some of the city's metrics include: Public safety: Number of 911 calls, reports from public safety agencies (police, fire, EMS), signs of drugs use/drug manufacturing Proximity: To schools, daycares and critical infrastructure like hospitals, water storage and energy sources People: Are pregnant women or domestic violence survivors in encampments? 'So we have a number of metrics that we'll look at, and each of those metrics is assigned to weight. And the ones that rank the top are the ones that we prioritize,' Gray said. When you see the city of Austin enter a homeless encampment and relocate individuals living in it to shelter, that's part of the city's Housing-Focused Encampment Assistance Link (HEAL) initiative. 'What we do is we go into an encampment, we create a by name list of all the people who are residing there, and then we move that entire community into shelter,' Gray said. 'And then once we move everybody, we do the process of cleaning and restoring that natural habitat and securing the site. And after we've done all that work, we then work with the Austin Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies to keep those areas clear.' Without a place for the city of Austin to relocate people to, camp sweeps would likely result in people relocating to another encampment or later returning to the original camp. That's why Austin uses its bridge shelters to give people relocated by HEAL a place to get stable. 'Since HEAL started a couple of years ago, we've already served over 1,000 clients through this strategy, helping hundreds of people transition from our bridge shelters into permanent housing…It's a fundamental part for how we do encampment closures, especially for large sites like the one that we just closed,' Gray said. Since the program started in 2021, the city has moved 1,024 people into shelter through HEAL. Camps that have been cleared as a result include: A high flash flood risk area of the Country Club Creek watershed near the intersection of Wickersham Lane and East Riverside Drive Riverside Meadows Stephenson Nature Preserve Springdale Neighborhood Park Lorraine 'Grandma' Camacho Activity Center The West Rundberg neighborhood near the areas of the North Austin YMCA and at Masterson Pass You can find a full list of encampments targeted through the HEAL initiative from the city of Austin's Homeless Strategy Office here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
City of Austin cites ‘high wildfire risk' for latest homeless encampment closure
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A homeless encampment on 37 acres of wooded area in southeast Austin was recently closed due to 'high wildfire risk,' the city said in a press release Wednesday. The city said it relocated 32 people from the encampment near Ben White Boulevard and Montopolis Boulevard to the Northbridge and Southbridge shelters. The Austin Fire Department responded to 35 fire-related calls at this location in 2024, determining that a 'major' fire in this area may affect essential services and critical infrastructure, the release said. There's a 4-million-gallon water storage and pump facility, operated by Austin Water, as well as 'one of the largest federally qualified healthcare centers' that serves low-income residents near the encampment. A wildfire would force patients to evacuate and 'impact one of the most frequented walk-up healthcare access points in Austin-Travis County,' the city said. Kristen's Classroom: What to know about wildfire risks A photo provided in the city's release showed a bulldozer gathering large piles of debris at the encampment. 'By tackling wildfire risks, providing crucial support to those in need, and prioritizing the well-being of all individuals, we are fostering a community that stands together,' David Gray, Austin's homeless strategy officer, said in the release. The Homeless Strategy Office coordinated with AFD, the Austin Police Department and the Development Services Department's Code Division on the clean-up. Central Texas is currently in one of its wildfire 'seasons,' which often happen in spring and late summer/early fall when conditions are dry and winds are gusty. The KXAN First Warning Weather team has forecasted high winds and low humidity for Central Texas on Wednesday. A Red Flag Warning is in effect Wednesday afternoon through Wednesday evening for the Hill Country and Austin metro. The Red Flag Warning means 'critical' fire weather conditions are happening now or will shortly, according to the National Weather Service. The KXAN First Warning Weather team contributed to this story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
