Texas gets its power back but water woes deepen as US President Biden faces 1st big crisis

Texas authorities have restored electricity statewide, bringing relief to the residents after days of unprecedentedly freezing temperatures, yet millions of people still struggled for safe drinking water on Saturday.

Due to lack of power, pipes have frozen and a large number of systems have been reporting water issues, said Toby Baker, executive director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Water problems have impacted about 14.3 million residents out of a total population of around 29 million, as officials distribute fresh water and food to thousands of people, he said.

Even as utility operations returned to normal on Friday, more than 50,000 customers were still without power as crews struggled to repair the downed lines. As the fierce storm grew clearer across the south-central region, approximately 70 people have lost their lives due to the cold wave.

READ | Texas Weather: Wind Turbines Freeze Amid 'unprecedented' Storm

Biden's first big domestic crisis

US President Joe Biden issued a major disaster declaration for 77 of the worst-hit counties in Texas. The declaration authorizes the Homeland Security Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate disaster relief efforts and expedite assistance.

The Texas storm represents Biden's first big domestic crisis. The President said he wants to visit the state next week but does not want to distract from relief efforts.

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Though power was restored and the temperature started to rise on Saturday, multiple cities remained under orders to boil water before consuming it. Sylvester Turner Mayor of Houston, the fourth-largest US city, has said the notice to boil drinking water might extend until Monday. In many areas, people lined up for hours outside churches, community centers, or in parking lots, waiting to pick up bottled water supplies. 

A winter storm dropping snow and ice, which has also sent temperatures plunging has hit Texas. The deadly storm has crashed power supplies and people are battling the low temperatures with no heat and electricity. Officials in Houston had warned people to prepare for outages and hazardous roads. Earlier, this week, nearly 120 crashes, including a 10-car pileup on I-45, were reported. 

As the cold wave moved to the north and east on Saturday, Texans were finally seeing the return of warmer temperatures.

READ | Millions Shivering In Cold Weather As Biden Declares Major Disaster For Texas, See Pics

READ | Texas: Power Restored To Most After Winter Storm Sent Temperatures Plunging