Uncommon Knowledge
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Texas
Drinking water warnings issued to thousands in Texas
Officials in Texas continue to urge nearly 163,000 residents to boil their drinking water several days after Hurricane Beryl exited the state.
Beryl made landfall in Texas on Monday as a Category 1 storm near the coastal town of Matagorda, before whipping northeast to directly batter the city of Houston, where over 2.5 million in the area quickly lost their power.
The storm continued to roar through Texas and other portions of the U.S. in a northeasterly path, sparking a swarm of tornadoes in multiple states as it diminished in strength and eventually passed into Canada.
While Beryl left at least 10 people dead in Texas and inflicted significant damage to property, many residents impacted by the hurricane in the Lone Star State were also continuing to struggle with a lack of power and clean drinking water four days later.
TomBegasse
By Friday, Texas had more than 700,000 power outages that remained unresolved, while some 162,895 residents in 22 counties were under a “Boil Water Notice” (BWN) due to drinking water systems that had been compromised by the storm.
“As of 12:30pm today, we are tracking 259 drinking water systems that are on a BWN serving a population of 162,895,” a spokesperson for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) told Newsweek via email on Friday. “The drinking water systems on BWNs are spread across 22 counties impacted by the hurricane.”
The following is a list of the affected counties, water systems and number of residents that were still being asked to boil their water as of Friday afternoon:
- Angelina County: 1 water system under BWN, affecting 53 residents.
- Brazoria County: 67 water systems under BWN, affecting 28,460 residents.
- Chambers County: 3 water systems under BWN, affecting 446 residents.
- Fort Bend County: 7 water systems under BWN, affecting 10,206 residents.
- Grimes County: 3 water systems under BWN, affecting 756 residents.
- Hardin County: 1 water system under BWN, affecting 108 residents.
- Houston County: 1 water system under BWN, affecting 9,557 residents.
- Harris County: 57 water systems under BWN, affecting 32,719 residents.
- Liberty County: 9 water systems under BWN, affecting 9,557 residents.
- Matagorda County: 11 water systems under BWN, affecting 4,051 residents.
- Montgomery County: 35 water systems under BWN, affecting 19,963 residents.
- Nacogdoches County: 2 water systems under BWN, affecting 9,834 residents.
- Orange County: 1 water system under BWN, affecting 99 residents.
- Polk County: 33 water systems under BWN, affecting 24,285 residents.
- San Augustine County: 5 water systems under BWN, affecting 4,170 residents.
- San Jacinto County: 12 waters systems under BWN, affecting 5,687 residents.
- Trinity County: 4 water systems under BWN, affecting 3,038 residents.
- Tyler County: 2 water systems under BWN, affecting 5,880 residents.
- Upshur County: 1 water system under BWN, affecting 3,038 residents.
- Walker County: 2 water systems under BWN, affecting 653 residents.
- Waller County: 1 water system under BWN, affecting 240 residents.
- Wharton County: 1 water system under BWN, affecting 40 residents.
Residents who are uncertain about the safety of their drinking water should contact their local water utility for additional information and updates.
Water systems can be damaged by hurricanes and other powerful storms due to power outages, service line breaks or flooding, potentially allowing what would otherwise be safe drinking water to become contaminated by dangerous pathogens.
In systems under a BWN, water may not be safe to drink unless it has been boiled vigorously for at least two minutes. The TCEQ website offers a series of safe water use tips for those affected.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and the Peach Bowl announced this week that Texas football head coach Steve Sarkisian is among this year’s 20 names included on its annual preseason watch list. The award “celebrates the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance […]
HOUSTON, TEXAS – MAY 27: Democratic Senate Candidate James Talarico speaks at a rally at Rich’s Houston on May 27, 2026 in Houston, Texas. Talarico held the rally after the primary runoff and to explain his plan on how he will take on Republican nominee Ken Paxton. (Photo by Danielle Villasana/Getty Images)
Texas has reported 48 cases of Cyclospora, a foodborne illness caused by a parasite that health experts say can lead to severe gastrointestinal symptoms.
Dr. David Winter, an internal medicine physician with Baylor Scott & White, said cyclospora infections typically increase during the summer. However, he said the current increase affecting several states could become the worst in years.
At least 20 people nationwide have been hospitalized with symptoms that can last for weeks.
“It’s really bad disease right now and sometimes you get in your intestines and that gives you these horrible cramps and gurgling and then diarrhea. In fact, the diarrhea is so bad, they call it explosive diarrhea,” Winter said.
Cyclospora is caused by a parasite rather than a virus or bacteria. Winter said the parasite multiplies inside the intestines, contributing to recurring symptoms.
“It’s a parasite. It’s not a virus, it is not bacteria. So the parasite, once it gets in your intestine, it starts to multiply. And then when it builds up a certain amount, then it comes out with this explosion, and then it starts multiply again,” Winter said.
The illness spreads through food or water contaminated with infected feces and is rarely transmitted from person to person.
The source of the current outbreak is unknown. Previous outbreaks have been linked to fresh fruits and vegetables, including basil, cilantro, raspberries and snow peas.
Doctors recommend thoroughly washing fresh produce before eating it to help reduce the risk of infection.
For many people, symptoms can be managed at home, and antibiotics are also effective, according to Winter.
He said patients with severe diarrhea should let their doctor know about their symptoms because many routine stool tests do not automatically screen for cyclospora.
“Most stool tests in laboratories don’t look for this. So you want to be sure and tell your doctor, I’ve got this, quote, explosive diarrhea. I’m cramping, I feel like hell, I have all this fatigue,” Winter said.
While the infection is uncommon, Winter said it can be especially difficult for those who become sick.
“It’s rare, but boy when you get it, it is tough,” Winter said.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.
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