(NEXSTAR) – From apartments to hotels, pipes are bursting across Texas amid sub-freezing temperatures, and people are using TikTok to document the aftermath.
On Wednesday, homeowners, businesses and hospitals across the state continued to struggle with power outages and plummeting water pressure after mains and pipes broke. Multiple water treatment plants lost power and some municipalities issued boil water advisories.
@daniellemwebb ##texas ##texasweather ##cold ##ice ##pipes ##texasice ##texassnow ##freezing ##water ##degrees ##temp ##texashumor ##texascheck ##texascrazy ##houston ##houstoncold
♬ original sound – Danielle Webb
In Austin, Texas, the fire department said it has received hundreds of broken water pipe calls since Monday. On Tuesday alone, the department fielded 685 calls about busted pipes.
@davisteven705 Texas pipes be like #Dallas
♬ original sound – 😈TexazDemon214😈
(Warning: Video below contains profanity)
The weather also caused major disruptions to water systems in the Texas cities of Houston, Fort Worth, Galveston and Corpus Christi.
@okaycalvin Power outages and the pipes burst? #texas #polarvortex2021 #winterweatheradvisory #fyp #texaswinterstorm
♬ Oh No – Kreepa
In Houston, residents were told to boil their water — if they had power to do so — because of a major drop in water pressure linked to the weather. Austin Water told residents in the southwest section of the city to boil water before using it for drinking or cooking.
@jennwashington Check your pipes #texasweather
♬ Oh No – Kreepa
Leaders in Austin and the Houston area asked residents to stop dripping water from their faucets because of a drop in water pressure.
If you live in an area of the country affected by the winter storm and your pipes have frozen, here are some tips on thawing them out.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
