Houston
City of Houston water restrictions making progress, but still implemented
Posted on · No one has been fined yet, but Houston Public Works said they have received about 35 complaints against violators.
Tag: Houston Public Works
schools
New school zone signage to be installed around Houston-area high schools
Posted on · Some additional changes to the ordinance will be signage on all streets, not just major thoroughfares and streets with 5,000 vehicles or more. Flashing beacons will be available upon request and evaluation.
City of Houston
Houston considering mandatory water usage restrictions for city residents
Posted on · Houston Public Works is asking residents to conserve water by limiting their outdoor watering to two days per week and between the hours of 7 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Infrastructure
Houston seeing slight increase in water main breaks under Stage 1 drought
Posted on · According to Houston Public Works, there are currently about 300 pending water leaks during the city’s Stage One Drought Contingency Plan. They usually see less than 100.
Flooding
Houston considers ditching policy that requires property owners to maintain open drainage
Posted on · Property owners in Houston have long been responsible for maintaining abutting open ditches. The city council is considering a proposal to put greater responsibility on the municipal government.
Infrastructure
Some Houston-area roadways buckling under prolonged high heat
Posted on · There have been at least 10 instances during the last two weeks in which Houston-area roadways have sustained heat-related damage, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.
City of Houston
Houston Public Works apologizes after residents receive ‘drastically higher’ water bills following meter-reader replacement
Posted on · The municipal water utility says it is making corrections to impacted accounts and asks Houston residents to reach out if they think they have been affected by the problem, which is not citywide.
Houston
‘Space City Sweeper,’ tasked with cleaning Houston’s bike lanes, back on streets after becoming clogged with debris
Posted on · The $147,000 miniature street sweeper purchased last year by the City of Houston broke down after a few uses and had to be sent back to the manufacturer for repairs. City workers now pre-clean bike lanes of heavy debris before using the machine.
Local
City of Houston to host ‘Dump Day’ for residents to dispose of waste
Posted on · The dump day is part of the city's initiative put in place last month to alleviate what the city said is an ongoing problem of illegal dumping.
Houston Matters
Showing Michelangelo’s ‘David’ in school: The Good, Bad, and Ugly of the week
Posted on · The Houston Matters panel of non-experts weighs in on stories from the week’s news and decides if they’re good, bad, or ugly.
City of Houston
Houston Public Works taking over Kingwood wastewater facility amid criminal investigation into release of inadequately treated sewage
Posted on · The City of Houston is terminating its contract with Inframark, which manages five wastewater treatment plants and five drinking water supply facilities in the Kingwood area, effective this Friday.
Energy & Environment
Kingwood wastewater plant released inadequately treated sewage, falsified sample reports, Houston police allege
Posted on · Environmental investigations units with the Houston Police Department and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality are looking into alleged criminal activity at the Kingwood Central Wastewater Treatment Plant, where operators are accused of concealing the release of pollutants into a public waterway. But the City of Houston says its drinking water has been unaffected and is safe for consumption.
Traffic
County commissioner offers to amend Third Ward bike-lane project if Houston officials contribute millions more
Posted on · Work began nearly a year ago on a $12.1 million road reconstruction project near Texas Southern University, where bicycle lanes are being added and vehicular lanes are being reduced. The Houston City Council member who represents the area has said some nearby residents do not want the project and were not adequately consulted beforehand, but Mayor Sylvester Turner says it should move forward.
City of Houston
Houston lifts boil water advisory after test samples meet safe standards
Posted on · The city's boil water notice had been in place since Sunday night, after a power outage at a purification plant caused water pressure to drop below acceptable levels.
Houston
Houston issues boil water notice after pressure failure at plant
Posted on · City officials said samples were collected and will be tested. The hope is for the notice to be lifted late Monday or early Tuesday.