Water supply may run dry for Baytown-area residents

Residents packed into the Harris County Fresh Water Supply District No. 1A meeting, demanding the agency pays the $249,897.64 it owes the city of Baytown before their water services get disconnected. (The Baytown Sun)

  BAYTOWN, TX (KTRK) -- Faucets could soon run dry at dozens of Baytown-area homes if a Harris County water supply district doesn't keep its promise to pay off an outstanding bill worth nearly a quarter-million dollars.

Residents who live near McNair recently received notices that their water services will be disconnected Tuesday if their water district, the Harris County Fresh Water Supply District No. 1A, doesn't pay the $249,897.64 it owes the city of Baytown from a 2009 agreement.

As a result, more than 100 residents packed into the district's regularly scheduled meeting Thursday and demanded action.

The district said it has withdrawn money from its reserves fund and plans to pay the entire bill no later than Monday.

We worked on this story with our Houston Community Newspaper partner, The Baytown Sun.
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Emergency water rationing for League City

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- People in League City are under orders to conserve after a pipe carrying nearly all of the city's water sprung a severe leak.

Officials say there is a leak in the line that carries 90 percent of the city's water. They've implemented a Stage 3 Water Alert which means no watering your lawns, no washing cars, and no filling up swimming pools.

Repairs are underway and crews say it could be another 24 to 36 hours before the line is fully replaced. The new pipe to replace the broken 39 inch pipe was brought to the site.

The water line they are having to replace runs to League City from Houston. The city says the break shouldn't affect water distribution but residents must follow the city's mandatory restrictions.

"League City is currently on a Stage 3 water restriction which is the severe, most stringent restrictions and that limits basically all irrigation and all car wash and any usage other than essential usage," said Public works manager Jodi Hooks.

Crews are working around the clock to get the line repaired. At this point, there are no water boil notices.

Stage Three of the Drought Contingency Plan is the most stringent stage and includes the following restrictions: Irrigation of landscaped areas is absolutely prohibited.Use of water to wash any motor vehicle, motorcycle, 4-wheeler, boat, trailer, airplane or other vehicle is absolutely prohibited. Use of water to wash down any sidewalk, walkway, driveway, parking lot, tennis court, or other hard surface area is absolutely prohibited.Flushing of gutters or permitting water to run or accumulate in any gutter or street is absolutely prohibited.Washing down any building or structure for purposes other than immediate fire protection is absolutely prohibited. Use of water to fill, refill or add to any indoor or outdoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi-type pools or water-slides is prohibited.Use of water in a fountain or pond for aesthetic or scenic purposes is prohibited, except when necessary to support aquatic life.(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Strong storms leave behind high water

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- People across southeast Texas were in clean-up mode Saturday after severe storms swept through overnight.

Heavy rains flooded streets and strong wind knocked out power to some homes.

Moving in waves, rain turned creeks into fast-moving rivers, streets into lakes and curbs into waterfalls.

"I mean, the creek is in the yard!" said Eugene Curtis, who lives near Clear Creek.

Fort Bend County was one of the hardest areas hit by the storms Friday night.

Rain poured down for hours, which left a mess for motorists Saturday morning.

Water was six feet deep in some places at the intersection of Highway 90 and the Grand Parkway, shutting down traffic and leaving cars stranded.

People who live nearby couldn't resist snapping pictures.

"I knew it rained a lot, but I did not expect to find this this morning," Les Polvado said.

Water flowed into the intersection from higher ground, keeping water levels rising for hours even after it stopped raining.

"My son had to call in because he couldn't get into work. I imagine it's going to slow a lot of people down," Adolph Garcia said.

Some businesses were even closed for most of the morning.

"I say I need to open the store. He said, 'lady, move, move," Margarita Armenta with Pilgrim's Dry Cleaners said.

Miguel Sandbal managed to open his Mexican restaurant, but customers never arrived.

"I still have to pay all my employees and I'm not going to have any customers. The police won't let anybody come in to get breakfast or lunch," he said.

Just a mile away, the Sugar Land Airport was still open, but barely recognizable. The runway was buried under feet of water.

Ann Smith, an employee of a restaurant in Fort Bend County, described to us what it was like inside her work place when the rain hit Friday night.

"It was hitting the windows of the restaurant and it would come and it would be there for 10 minutes and our lights flickered and everything and it would stop and it came back and it stopped; so thankfully I'm trying to get to my car before it starts pouring again," she said.

In Katy, a Tornado Warning caught the attention of parents at a school play inside Beckendorff Junior High School. At one point, attendees moved into the gymnasium but later continued the program. When the rain finally hit, it hit hard off the Grand Parkway in Cinco Ranch; the rain almost came down sideways.

In southwest Houston, a huge lightning strike was captured on video. Video from our Tower Cam also captured at least one transformer blow out.

We also caught up with the storm as it moved through the Garden Oaks area near 38th Street and Shepherd. There was lots more rain at the Katy Freeway and Shepherd and the Kirby/Richmond areas. The storm brought lightning and hail along with the rain.

And around 9pm, small hail started falling over the KTRK-TV studio in southwest Houston.

If you caught photos or video of this event, you can upload them at iWitness.abc13.com or email them to news@abc13.com.

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City of Houston cracks down on customers with overdue water bills

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The city of Houston is getting tough on people who don't pay their water bills. The delinquencies are costing the city millions.

Legally, the city can turn off your water if you fail to pay for more than 52 days and right now, the city says they have more than 20,000 accounts that are over 200 days past due. The total amount to the city exceeds $13 million. That includes commercial and residential, as well as multi-family customers.

The city says it is not going to wait for that money anymore. They say they are going to be quite aggressive starting today in turning off your water if you don't pay.

"Today, we are announcing a stepped up enforcement effort to get people to pay their water bills and the method we use is if you don't pay, you get your water turned off," said Houston Mayor Annise Parker. "It's not that we haven't been using water cut-offs, but we are about to ramp up the effort."

The city handed out a list of the top 20 customers who are delinquent on their accounts. One customer topped the list, owing $198,451.

The city says it has assistance programs for people who can't afford to pay their bills. There is a water fund available for those individuals. The city says they are willing to work with those people but not with others who have blatantly disregarded their water bills for more than 200 days.

The city says you can call the main Customer Service Number at 713-371-1400 for information related to your water bil, or visit HoustonWaterBills.org. The hotline if service has been cut is 713-371-1110.

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Man accused of injecting substance into water bottles due in court

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A man accused of injecting something into water bottles at a store in the Heights is expected back in court today.

Christopher Slaughter, 26, is charged with tampering with a consumer product. He was arrested after a gas station employee saw Slaughter use a syringe to inject a mysterious substance into two, 20 ounce bottles of water.

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Court documents don't identify the substance but say it could cause bodily harm.

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Houston drops mandatory water restrictions

Houston residents are no longer under mandatory water restrictions, but still encouraged to conserve water.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The city of Houston is lifting the mandatory water conservation measures imposed last summer, but that doesn't mean we're in the clear just yet.

The move follows recent rains and cooler temperatures, which have increased lake levels in all three drinking water reservoirs. As the city continues to experience severe drought conditions, Houston residents are asked to continue voluntary water conservation.

Although pre-drought water reservoir levels have not been reached, the city's storage is no longer at the level for mandatory conservation. Additionally, while water line breaks continue at a higher than normal pace, the stress on the system of last summer has been relieved.

According to the National Weather Service, the Houston area remains in severe to exceptional drought. Coupled with long term predictions, it is clearly possible that Houston may experience an even more challenging summer this year than last.

While surface water storage has recovered to an extent, it is unlikely that the city will have as much storage at start of summer this year as we had last year, leading to a likeliness that conservation measures will need to be reinstated. All water customers are strongly encouraged to practice and further develop water conservation efforts.

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High water prompts school, apartment complex evacuations

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Emergency personnel evacuated residents and elementary school students in parts of southeast Houston after Monday's strong storms flooded some streets with feet-deep water.

After quite a day, and an even more interesting dismissal, the students of KIPP Academy all stepped off the bus and were finally on their way home.

"We had to get on one of those dump trucks," one student said.

Trapped by floodwater at their school meant their parents spent a few hours in limbo. Pickup was not only delayed but also moved to St. Francis Church on Reed and Cullen.

At nearby Peck Elementary, pickup for some meant a ride on a firefighter's back across the flooded street.

"They're our savior and I appreciate their help," one parent said.

Classes for at both campuses have been canceled for Tuesday.

But it wasn't just students who needed help escaping the rapidly rising water. As the flood waters closed in, dozens of others struggled to evacuate.

"It started to rise higher and higher," evacuee Cammie Aldridge said.

Aldridge was trapped but chose to wade through it. It took her 15 minutes.

"We made it through, and it was scary. Honestly, it was scary," she said.

Others couldn't do that, like people with children and wheelchairs and walkers.

Arthur Breaux was stuck until rescuers shuttled him out of the dirty water.

"With me being sick, like I am, I was gonna try to walk out myself, but they gave me some help and I appreciate it," Breaux said.

About 25 residents at the Royal Palms East Apartments near Mykawa and Griggs were evacuated after strong storms flooded the bottom-floor units with up to three feet of water. Another 13 from nearby Tejano community center also requested help from emergency responders.

These people have grabbed whatever they could from their apartments and they've climbed onto these elevated dump trucks just to get to higher ground.

"They put us on an air mattress and just kind of paddled us out," evacuee Sharon Roach said.

What's next is still muddy. But at least, they say, they're out.

"I'm going to my mother-in-law's, and then we're just gonna stay there for a while," evacuee Travis Peters said.

The HFD call center says it received more than a 100 calls for assistance with minor water rescues. Most incidents have been due to stalled out vehicles in high water. Flooding is the most common hazard in the City of Houston and the Houston Fire Department reminds citizens of the National Weather Service's safety message "Turn Around Don't Drown."

St. Francis Church has turned into an American Red Cross shelter. About 40 people checked into it to see refuge.

Some residents in the area tell us it floods frequently there, but some others blamed Monday's flooding on construction on the new METRORail line there.

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High water reported in Magnolia area

One Life to Live will air in its entirety at 1:05am Tuesday

  MAGNOLIA, TX (KTRK) -- After this morning's storms, Montgomery County sheriff's deputies are keeping an eye on particular high water spot.

Dispatchers say one section of FM 1774 in the Magnolia area has been shut down due to high water. The road closure affects FM 1774 immediately around sanders cemetery. Tx-DOT has put up barricades as water from mink creek approaches the bridge near the cemetery.

Other than that one trouble spot, there have been no other reports of major damage in Montgomery County.

We're expecting more rain today.

If you caught photos or video of the severe weather, you can upload them at iWitness.abc13.com or email them to news@abc13.com.

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Water main break leaves family with mess on Christmas

PASADENA, TX (KTRK) -- Well we may not have had a white Christmas, but one Pasadena family certainly had a wet one. A water main break on Zapp Lane near Austin sent a towering geyser of water on top of the family's home.

It had all the elements for a near disaster. A water main broke late on a weekend night and on a Christmas night, so no one was answering at Pasadena Public Works department. It took nearly six hours for the gusher to be tapped.

The day after Christmas at the Rocha household was filled with unexpected cleaning after the couple was rousted from bed by what they said sounded like a natural disaster.

"With the front door opened, I couldn't see anything, the water was coming down so thick," Eddie Rocha said.

A water-filled pit in front of their home is the aftermath of a geyser. For about six hours, a giant water main break had been directed at their house.

The Rochas snapped some photos as they waited for help from city officials. Eddie's wife, Terry Rocha, said they called the Pasadena Police Department several times.

"The third time, he said I told you not to panic so they hung up, so the fourth time I called, they said ma'am this is not a matter of life and death," Terry Rocha said.

The main was repaired around dawn, but the cleanup of the mud continued into the morning.

The Rocha's home appeared in tack and there was no serious damage. Terry Rocha's nerves, though, are another story.

"It was just horrible. I'd never seen anything like this before," she said.

Terry Rocha is a volunteer for the city and its police department, so even though she didn't want to ask for special treatment, she was still surprised by the city's reaction and she and Eddie wish the city could reassess how it deals with its residents.

"To pay more attention to folks that might be in distress," Eddie Rocha said.

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Local community water restrictions

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Local communities are enacting various stages of water conservation efforts, and residents who violate them could even face fines, depending on where they live.

A number of communities are facing high water usage, as our extremely hot and dry weather continues its record streak. Residents in Pearland and Sugar Land are encouraged to reduce water consumption under voluntary guidelines, but League City has taken the additional step of enacting mandatory water restrictions.

League City is enacting stage three of their drought contingency plan, in an effort to maintain pressure for firefighting purposes and to avoid other problems associated with low pressure. Violations of the restrictions are considered misdemeanor crimes. Violators may face fines of $500 plus court fees each day that one or more restrictions are violated.

League City mandatory water restrictions:
Irrigation of landscaped areas is limited to Tuesdays and Thursdays for water customers with even-numbered addresses, and Mondays and Wednesdays for water customers with odd-numbered addresses. Irrigation of landscaped areas is further limited to the hours between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. on designated watering days. Irrigation shall be by means of hand-held hoses, hand-held buckets, drip irrigation, or permanently installed automatic sprinkler system only. The use of hose-end sprinklers is prohibited at all times.Use of water to wash any motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane, or other vehicle is prohibited except on designated watering days from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Such washing, when allowed, shall be done with a hand-held bucket or a hand-held hose equipped with a positive shutoff nozzle for quick rinses. Vehicle washing may be done at any time on the premises of a commercial car wash or commercial service station. Washing may be exempted from these regulations if the health, safety and welfare of the public is contingent upon frequent vehicle cleansing, such as garbage trucks and vehicles used to transport food and perishables.Use of water to fill, refill or add to any indoor or outdoor swimming pools, wading pools and Jacuzzi-type pools is prohibited except on designated watering days from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.Use of water for washing down of any sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, or other hard-surfaced areas is prohibited.Using water to wash down buildings or structures for purposes other than immediate fire protection is prohibited.Flushing gutters or permitting water to run or accumulate in any gutter or street is prohibited.Failing to repair a controllable leak within a reasonable period of five days after having been given notice directing the repair of such leak is prohibited.Operation of any ornamental fountain or pond for aesthetic or scenic purposes is prohibited except when necessary to support aquatic life or when such fountains or ponds are equipped with a recirculation system.Use of water from hydrants shall be limited to fire fighting, related activities, or other activities necessary to maintain public health, safety and welfare, except that use of water from designated fire hydrants for construction purposes under special permit is discontinued.All restaurants are prohibited from serving water to patrons except upon request of the patron.The watering of golf course tee boxes is prohibited unless the golf course utilizes a water source other than that provided by the city.The City of League City will continue to monitor the water levels and update residents on www.leaguecity.com

Sugar Land voluntary water conservation details:
To reduce peak demand and total water consumption, Sugar Land residents are asked to water lawns according to the following schedule:
Even numbered addresses on even numbered days of the month from 8 p.m. to midnightOdd numbered addresses on odd numbered days of the month from 8 p.m. to midnightFor more information on the city's voluntary irrigation schedule, call the Sugar Land Utilities Department at 281-275-2450

Pearland outdoor watering schedule:
Residents are asked to limit non-essential water use to the hours of 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. or 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday.Odd-numbered addresses are requested to water on odd dates and even-numbered addresses are requested to water on even dates. For example, 3519 Liberty Drive can water on June 17, 19, 21, etc. since the address ends in an odd number. For more information about the voluntary watering schedule or the Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan, please call the Public Works Department at 281-652-1900

Other water conservation tips: Set lawn mower blades one notch higher so they cut grass 2 to 3 inches tall, leave grass clippings on lawns,and cover bare ground with mulch to save up to 100 gallons or more per week.Check sprinkler heads, valves and drip emitters monthly. Make sure heads are aimed correctly, and immediately repair broken heads.Use a broom to clear pavement.Use a hose spray nozzle with a shutoff handle to stop water flow.Create a water-efficient landscape (called a xeriscape) by using drought-resistant and native plants.Repair leaksRun faucets only when using them.Install water-efficient fixtures. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Galveston issues water restrictions

  GALVESTON, TX (KTRK) -- The City of Galveston is putting water restrictions in place and it's all to help out a neighboring city.

City leaders are asking residents to stop watering lawns and plants, washing vehicles or boats and refilling swimming pools. They say that will allow additional water to be available to League City, which is in the middle of a minor water emergency as crews repair a leaking water transmission line.

Galveston was in a similar situation over the Easter weekend. At that time, League City came to the rescue and Galveston leaders say they want to return the favor.

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Churches provide water during boil notice

  DEMOND FERNANDEZOLD TOWN SPRING, TX (KTRK) -- The massive fire that destroyed a lumber yard near Old Town Spring on Friday is forcing hundreds of homeowners to boil their water.

The fire that started it all happened at Bayer Lumber Yard on Aldine Westfield at Bayer. It affected a couple water tanks that serve 900 homes in the area.

Bayer Water Company is working to fix the water outage, which was caused by a massive lumber yard fire Friday.

It could be a while before the water supply to those homes is safe enough to use, so church leaders decided Saturday morning to take the lead and help the community.

The water came in by the truck load Saturday.

And, by the dozens, families dealing with the water outage rushed in to grab some liquid relief.

"They say we wasn't going to have water. For over a week, we wasn't going to have water," Sydney Williams said.

With the help of HEB, six area churches organized a water distribution center at True Vine Baptist Church.

"We're in the middle of the heat of the summer. Hundred-degree temperatures, no rain in sight. You know, where do we get water from other than our water company?" asked Gladys Phillips of True Vine.

Arson investigators say they're now talking to a couple of teens who may have started the fire that caused the water outage in a hay barn near the Bayer tanks.

The utility company owners say the fire damaged a couple of booster pumps causing service to its customers to shut down.

"We're talking 900 businesses and families without water, not knowing exactly when they are going to get water," Phillips explained.

The water company's owners say service is slowly being restored, and it's already back in some parts of Old Town Spring.

Crews have been on the property, working to replace the pumps.

The Bayers say replacing the chlorination system here make take a few days, but each day without water is a big inconvenience for some of these neighbors.

"I'm used to bathing every night. I couldn't take no bath last night. Clothes all dirty. I don't have no water to wash clothes or drink water. Or wash my dishes. Dishes sitting in the sink, dirty," Williams said.

For now, members of this community say they're stuck preparing for a few more days without water.

"It's got us pulling together. [We're] really pulling together as a community," Ella Senegal said.

Until further notice, a boil water notice -- mandated by the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality -- is in effect for people in the area.

To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking and making ice should be boiled and cooled prior to consumption.

The water should be brought to a vigorous, rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes. In lieu of boiling, you may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source, officials said.

When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, water system officials will notify residents that the water is safe for consumption.

The owners tell us they're hoping to lift that boil notice by Tuesday.

If you have questions regarding the boil water notice, you may contact Bayer Water System at 281-353-2215.

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Pearland urging residents to conserve water

PEARLAND, TX (KTRK) -- Pearland is the latest community in the Houston area asking residents to conserve water in response to drought conditions.

Some Pearland residents saw this coming. Most realize it's a pretty stubborn drought and the city of Pearland's assistant city manager tells us it's watched its water usage climb. One o'clock in at the afternoon and the sprinklers in Pearland are at full throttle. One zone after another, drought conditions, for months now, are taking their toll on southeast Texas, the likes of which some don't recall. "We've lived here 11 years and never in the last 11 years," Pearland resident Angela Hale said. But the midday watering is no longer what the city of Pearland wants to see. Pearland administration is now calling for voluntary water restrictions, something Hale is already on board with. "We always watered at 6 o'clock in the morning Monday, Wednesday, Friday," Hale said. The city of Pearland has seen is water usage surge enough over the last several days to enact their standard drought contingency plan. "When we reach three consecutive days of 70 percent or more of water production, then we go into what's called Stage One," Pearland Assistant City Manager John Branson said. The city of Pearland is asking residents to voluntarily reduce outdoor watering to between 6 and 10am or 8 and 10pm Monday through Friday. On top, they urge residents with odd-number addresses to water in odd-number calendar days and even-number addresses to water in even-number days. Citizens of Pearland are also asked to refrain from watering on the weekends. The upside, Hale says, is a much lighter water bill. "As much as people are having to water, your water bill goes up too, so I think keeping your own bills in check with their requests, it all matches," Hale said. If the drought persists for several more weeks and pushing water consumption increases to at least three consecutive days of 80 percent or more then restrictions will be mandatory; but the city is in the low 70's right now and officials don't foresee that happening. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Crews pull driver from car that drove into water

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Crews rescued a driver whose car drove into a body of water last night in southeast Harris County.

It happened in the 10000 block of Bay Area Boulevard around 9pm, A witness who called 9-1-1 to report the incident told authorities she saw the person behind the wheel of the SUV driving erratically. The witness claimed the SUV was slowing down, speeding up -- even stopped at one time -- before it went off the road and into a body of water that flows into Taylor Bayou. The car landed upside down and the driver, a male in his 30s, was belted in, so crews had to cut it him out. Authorities say two people tried to pull the driver out before crews arrived, but couldn't. Authorities say the victim was submerged in water between five and 10 minutes. He was transported in critical condition by Life Flight to a hospital. It wasn't immediately known why the SUV landed in the water. Authorities say they're pretty confident the driver was the only one in the vehicle, but they're going to search the water just in case. No other details were immediately available. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Tomball requests voluntary water conservation

  TOMBALL, TX (KTRK) -- Due to extreme drought conditions, the Tomball Public Works Department is asking all water customers to conserve water.

While the city's public water system is operating in good condition, officials are concerned that a high water demand caused by excessive landscape and lawn irrigation during extreme drought conditions could cause unnecessary strain on the water system, forcing mandatory water restrictions.

In order to conserve the available water supply, water customers are requested to voluntarily limit the irrigation of landscaped areas to Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number, and Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays for water customers with a street address ending in an odd number, and to water only between the hours of midnight and 10am and 8pm to midnight on designated watering days.

If you have any questions regarding water conservation, you can call the Tomball Public Works Department at 281-290-1425.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Water spewing from broken main in W. Houston

The break is spewing water on Westheimer at Dunlavy. City crews aren't yet sure what caused it, but they don't think it is drought related.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A major water main break at is causing problems in west Houston.

The break is spewing water on Westheimer at Dunlavy. City crews aren't yet sure what caused it, but they don't think it is drought related.

Crews might have to shut down water service to buildings in the area to repair the break. There were reports the water was causing some of the concrete on either side of Westheimer to buckle.

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Port of Houston officials in hot water?

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Major fireworks tonight, and the fire is being aimed at top officials of the Port of Houston. Now, the fate of both the chairman and the port president are in play.

Developments are coming fast and furious now in the wake of 13 Undercover reports of possible ethics violations, conflicts of interest and questionable spending. First the developments in just the last few hours: Two port commissioners are demanding to discuss the future employment of the Port President Alec Dreyer. He's paid $359,000 a year. The letter decries the chairman of the board's plans to try to hire another outside law firm of his choosing to investigate his conduct. The port's legal bills are already $23 million the last two years. Precinct 2 Commissioner Jack Morman has asked the county attorney to review the Port's compliance with state laws. This as the mayor issues an ultimatum. New volunteers ready to tackle a brutal regime. News hundreds have died trying to flee on a boat from the Port of Tripoli. Six thousand miles from there, the fallout has triggered an ethics scandal here at the Port of Houston. "Did you ride a camel then?" we asked Pot of Houston Chairman Jim Edmonds. "I did not ride a camel," Edmonds said. But Edmonds did take a Saharan vacation with executives of a port vendor, AECOM -- a company with a reported half a billion dollars in business with Libya. "I thought it was once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Edmonds said. Days visiting African historical sites that were hundreds of years old, and Mr. Edmonds got to do it all free. "Do you consider that a gift?" we asked Edmonds. "No, not really," he said. "Why not?" "They were going to go anyway." For the next two years, Edmonds steered the port toward a consulting deal with Libya. And in late 2010 the AECOM hired Edmonds as a Texas consultant. "The nexus between Libya and AECOM and Port and the chairman raises lots of questions," Harris County Judge Ed Emmett said. "And I believe he has a significant conflict of interest that has to be addressed," Houston Mayor Annise Parker said. But Edmonds got a legal opinion saying he was clear of conflict as long as he disclosed his ties and wasn't involved in any AECOM Port dealings. "I thought an outside independent lawyer would be more appropriate," Edmonds said. Turns out the Edmonds got the port to pay for that lawyer, whose firm was already special counsel to the Port of Houston. "It makes it questionable, there's no doubt about that," Emmett said. "He should give up the contract or give up his job as Port chairman," Parker said. But he's not the only port official who is facing tough questions. "Alec Dreyer really needs a better answer for what happened there," Emmett said. On the S.S. Sam Houston, the port president requested a catered boat trip for a friend and a fellow director of an energy company he works for. Public tours were even cut short that day. "There can't be special favors," Parker said. Even though emails called it "Alec's trip," when we asked to see the records of the special cruises, Dreyer's name was removed. The trip was falsely represented as requested by a government agency. "Changing an official government record is a violation. There needs to be an investigation as to whether there was an intent to deceive," Parker said. "I was absolutely not involved in ordering any change to any schedule with respect to any special cruises on the MV Sam Houston. I was not involved in that," Dreyer said. The cost of the catering was reimbursed seven months after the trip by the woman the boat party was thrown for. "Probably what he should have done is say you know what, that was a screw up, I admit it. Shouldn't have done it," Emmett said. This coming after our revelations about spending, lavish entertainment, enormous first-class travel bills. "Wayne, I was quite honestly shocked," Harris County Commissioner Jack Morman said. You can see the Port fight now underway by reading previous 13 Undercover reports in the "Related Links" section of this story, but the pressure is clearly building at the Port O Plenty. From its operations, the port has amassed $200 million in cash and short-term investments, while the county's Port tax to pay for its debts has nearly doubled in the last five years. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Galveston declares water shortage emergency

  GALVESTON, TX (KTRK) -- A main waterline leak in Galveston prompted a water shortage emergency to be declared on the island Saturday.

According to officials, a partial failure of the Gulf Coast Water Authority's 42" waterline is impacting the city's water supply. The waterline supplies the city of Galveston and other communities in southern Galveston County.

The leak was discovered early Friday near the Texas City Wye. Water delivery to the City of Galveston, The Village of Tiki Island, Bayou Vista, Santa Fe, Dickinson, League City, Hitchcock and La Marque has been affected.

City staff is working closely with GCWA to ensure there is no interruption of water service to the island.

A stage 5 drought contingency was announced Saturday evening, meaning the city has enacted mandatory emergency water rationing measures.

According to authorities, all irrigation of landscaped areas with potable water is prohibited until further notice.

The use of potable water to wash any vehicles is also banned, except with special permission in situations affecting public health and safety.

Officials said there will also be a proportional limitation of water deliveries to or diversions by wholesale water customers.

Additionally, pool owners are requested to refrain from filling pools until the water shortage is over.

Repairs to the transmission line will begin Monday and could take 24-48 hours.

The City's ground storage capacity, if the public cooperates fully, should be sufficient to maintain the water supply.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

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