Austin City Staff Didn’t Know How to Operate Power Switch, Worsened Water Crisis

[Elderberry]

Texas Scorecard by Jacob Asmussen March 2, 2021

“If it is true that the city failed to correctly operate the switching mechanism to engage the alternative power source, then that is gross incompetence.”

While Democrat-run city hall spends much of their time decreeing harmful political agendas, they also seem to severely mishandle critical functions that keep the city alive.

During last month’s historic winter storms and disastrous power outages, Austin experienced a boil water notice and water supply crisis, partially because city staff did not know how to turn on a power switch at one of the main water treatment plants.

According to a report by the Austin-American Statesman, on February 17, a tree limb fell on an electrical line leading to the Ullrich Water Treatment Plant, the city’s largest water facility that normally produces roughly half of Austin’s drinkable water.

Though the limb cut off the lights, Ullrich had a state-required backup power source and was ready to get back online to deliver to countless Austinites.

The one problem: Nobody onsite at the plant knew how to operate the 52-year-old backup gear switch.

More: https://texasscorecard.com/local/austin-city-staff-didnt-know-how-to-operate-power-switch-worsened-water-crisis/