Water

The City of Lubbock Water Utilities identified customers with galvanized steel pipes as part of its service line inventory. Our Samantha Larned reports that these pipes can increase the likelihood of lead entering the water supply. Texas lawmakers heard testimony yesterday from ranchers affected by last year’s historic wildfire in the Panhandle as they consider a proposal placing more requirements on oil and gas operators to reduce wildfire risk.

Lubbock Sen. Charles Perry's bill to address water scarcity across Texas passed through the state Senate unanimously this week. The City of Lubbock's health department is expected to be impacted by cuts to the CDC; Texas Public Radio's David Martin Davies reports on how this could affect response to the ongoing measles outbreak.

Yesterday, the Texas House passed a set of bills as part of the state's response to last year's panhandle wildfires, designed to improve emergency response and fire prevention. As spring starts with the hope of April showers in Lubbock, the city has issued its seasonal watering guidelines. Our Samantha Larned explains that residents are asked not to irrigate between 10 A.M. and 6 P.M. and are assigned two days a week.

A power outage at Texas Tech University yesterday delayed the return to classes for some students coming back after Spring Break. Our Samantha Larned reports the university says the outage is separate from those across campus earlier this month. Water is a top priority for Texas legislators this session and Lubbock's Senator Charles Perry is spearheading infrastructure efforts with his proposed bill, Senate Bill 7.

Gov. Greg Abbott has made water a priority for this legislative session. Lawmakers will debate whether to invest more into new water supplies or repairing old, leaking pipes around Texas.

A longstanding dispute over water-sharing between the U.S. and Mexico is raising concerns for farmers in South Texas. The Texas Newsroom’s Lucio Vasquez reports the U.S. government has now denied Mexico’s latest request for water, citing ongoing shortfalls in Mexico’s required deliveries. Hockley County, Garza County, and Hale County have joined the list of Texas counties reporting measles cases connected with the ongoing outbreak in the region.

The state House and Senate have similar proposals to solve the state's water crisis, but there are stark differences on how to invest billions of dollars to resolve.

Our Bishop Van Buren reports on Lubbock City Council's approval to purchase a device that detects forever chemicals in drinking water. This week, Lubbock congressman Jodey Arrington, Chairman of the House Budget Committee, celebrated the passage of the House Budget Resolution. Tomorrow, Lubbock Animal Services is offering free vaccinations and microchipping for dogs and cats. The clinic starts Saturday at 8 A.M. at the LAS building at 3323 SE Loop 289.

With cold weather arriving today across the region, ERCOT expects grid conditions to be normal. Lubbock's mayor signed a purchasing agreement last week, securing 85% of the land needed for Lake 7. Our reporter Bishop Van Buren has more on the project moving forward. On Friday night, a 5.0 magnitude earthquake struck near the Texas-New Mexico border. Quakes have become more common in the region in recent years.

Lubbock Republican State Senator Charles Perry says he’s planning to file a bill that could dedicate up to $5 billion in funding for water projects across the state. This month, Lubbock police expanded use of an e-citation app. Our reporter Olivia O’Rand has more on developing technology with the department. Enrollment is open for the City of Lubbock citizen education program. The application, syllabus, and more information can be found at mylubbock.us/Lubbock101, the deadline to apply is March 3.