Drought Putting Texas Water Supply in Peril

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ Texas’ record-breaking drought has forced about a fifth of water systems statewide to ask or compel customers to follow water restrictions.

And 23 of those have unknown levels of water supplies or are within six months of running out of water completely.

That’s what Carlos Rubinstein, a commissioner for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, told the state Senate’s Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday.

Rubinstein said some 956 public water systems out of the 4,721 total community systems across Texas have imposed voluntary or mandatory water restrictions.

He said 55 of those have prohibited all outside watering and at least 23 are in such dire straits that officials can no longer determine the state of their water supplies, or believed they were within 180 days of drying up completely.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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