exTRA by the Trinity River Authority of Texas

Health officials say its essential to be aware of how the heat can interact with certain drugs, potentially leading to adverse effects. [...] In extreme heat conditions, the body’s ability to regulate temperature can be severely compromised. This is particularly concerning to individuals who are on medications that affect the body’s ability to sweat. One common example is allergy medications.

Officials are asking beachgoers to report any loggerhead sea turtle sightings[...] If a sea turtle is seen on a beach or shoreline in Texas, it is either sick or injured or could be nesting this time of year, according to the TPWD. Adults are about three feet long and can weigh up to 350 pounds. 

The pool level of area reservoirs shrinking is a legitimate concern as projections for Texas show that the state's population is expected to increase by at least 30% (probably more) over the next couple of decades.

The North Texas Municipal Water district is expected to raise water rates soon. And population growth, climate change and grassy lawns are the culprits.

Marble Falls officials said the city needs more water from the Lower Colorado River Authority and it might ask for an additional 4,000 acre-feet on its firm water contract. The water would be put in the city's reserves to prepare for anticipated growth. 

A continued drought in Central Texas has left Lake Belton 16 feet lower. The area entered a Stage 2 drought on Tuesday with the lake now being down almost 40 percent.

Swimming hasn’t been allowed at Jacob’s Well for the past two summers and newly posted photos of the spring-fed swimming hole make it clear why the Hill Country hot spot has been closed. Hays County officials, who shared photos of a dried-up creek bed with KSAT on Tuesday, announced last summer that Jacob’s Well would be closed for swimming for the “foreseeable future.” 

Nacogdoches City Council approved a $435,000 budget amendment Tuesday night to repair equipment at the wastewater treatment plant. Public works director Steve Bartlett said the equipment helps remove large, solid objects from the wastewater as it enters the treatment and as of right now, the removal of objects is done manually, which requires renting additional equipment and staff working additional hours.

Grueling heat has been forecast for North Texas this week and multiple public alerts and notifications have been issued for the area. The National Weather Service issued excessive heat and red flag warnings for many parts of North Texas this week. The Dallas-Fort Worth area was also under an air quality alert Tuesday.

The Texas Water Development Board approved a $1.59 billion financial assistance program for water, wastewater and flood protection projects across the state. The money would be made available through the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas, or SWIFT, program, as well as the Flood Infrastructure Fund and state revolving funds.

In anticipation of raw water providers enacting higher levels of their drought contingency plans, the City of Round Rock is encouraging its water customers to increase conservation measures and strictly follow the City’s Stage 1 Drought Restrictions. The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), which provides raw water from Lake Travis to the City of Round Rock and other nearby cities, is urging users to incorporate additional water conservation efforts into their daily lives as the region’s dry conditions and triple-digit heat continue.

Wastewater data in Austin shows COVID-19 is present and has increased over the past six weeks but remains below the nationwide wastewater averages for the virus, according to a news release.

Culleoka Water Supply Corporation announced Wednesday night, Aug. 2, that repairs had been made at a pumping station. However, customers were still advised not to drink tap water or use it for cooking, ice making, brushing teeth or washing hands and face.
Culleoka General Manager Peter Williams said the boil notice would remain in effect until water samples from the system were tested and approved.

Just over a year after an excess of water flowing into a regional wastewater treatment facility resulted in disturbances to Brushy Creek, Round Rock officials are working toward improving the treatment plant's filtration. Round Rock officials July 27 approved a $1.6 million purchase for tertiary filters to be used at the Brushy Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility East Plant, which is currently undergoing expansion to accommodate the growing populations of Austin, Cedar Park, Leander and Round Rock. 

The city of Marble Falls will implement Stage 3 water restrictions from its Drought Contingency Plan on Thursday, Aug. 3, in an effort to reduce all water usage by 20 percent. The last time Marble Falls was under Stage 3 restrictions was 2017. 

A viral TikTok video shows a man navigating a kayak across a swath of swampy forestland he calls Dallas’ “blue hole.” This hole, he says, is the result of a massive water line break that has leaked untold gallons of treated drinking water into the city-owned Great Trinity Forest. In an email, city spokeswoman Catherine Cuellar said Dallas Water Utilities began investigating a leak in a 30-inch underground pipeline in October.

You wouldn’t know if you tasted it, but Epic OneWater Brew is a beer with a peculiar ingredient: it’s made with water recycled from the showers, sinks and washing machines of a residential building.

The beer is safe to drink, thanks to a series of treatments that include microfiltration and ultraviolet light, and it is meant to bring attention to the issue of water scarcity and reuse.

Burn bans are active across a large part of North Texas with drought conditions getting worse during this extended stretch of hot, dry weather. In Tarrant County, the burn ban for unincorporated areas is also part of a disaster declaration.