SPECIAL WINTER WEATHER EDITION WEDNESDAY 2/17/21
Official news about the City of Cedar Park from the City of Cedar Park.
|
|
Weather conditions and news are rapidly changing
This wintry weather has forced many closures and delays. The best source for timely information is our City website and Twitter and Facebook feeds.
|
|
DRIP YOUR FAUCETS CONTINUOUSLY TONIGHT!
With subfreezing temperatures forecast overnight, it is very important that you drip your faucets continuously to prevent pipes from freezing and breaking. Rest assured the City of Cedar Park is not experiencing a water supply shortage at this time and our water distribution system is functioning normally. There are no plans at this time to shut off water supply to customers. Please heed our advice and drip your faucets overnight and until temperatures rise to 32 degrees or above. Click here for more info.
|
|
If your pipes are frozen or you are experiencing leaks, here is some helpful information |
|
If you are not able to run water in your home, it is likely due to your home’s pipes being frozen. If this happens, pipes can expand and leak when they thaw. To lessen possible damage, you can turn off the water to your home.
We understand that many remedies to thaw frozen pipes require electricity and that many are still without power. If you are a Cedar Park resident and have questions related to your electrical power, please contact your provider, the PEC, at 888-883-3379. If your pipes have frozen/broken and, after watching this video, please call 512-401-5550, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. through Sunday, and staff can answer basic questions. You may also find additional helpful information by clicking here.
Also, a friendly reminder that pipes on private property are the responsibility of the property owner. We encourage you to call a plumber if you’re concerned an issue is more than you can handle. And don’t forget to let your drip faucets continuously, to help prevent pipes from freezing!
|
|
City of Cedar Park facilities closed until conditions improve
The following City facilities remain closed to the public through Thursday, February 18, and until conditions improve and our community and staff are able to travel and access them safely:
- Cedar Park City Hall, 450 Cypress Creek Rd.
- The Cedar Park Recreation Center, 1435 Main St.
- Milburn Pool at 1950 Sun Chase Blvd. also closed for lap swimming through Thursday, February 18
- Cedar Park Public Library, 550 Discovery Blvd.
- Cedar Park Municipal Court, 911 Quest Pkwy.
Our Public Works crews are continuing to treat roads and bridges, as possible. However, there is still a thick layer of snow and ice on our roadways and some are closed. Please avoid travel if possible while these hazardous road conditions exist, and if you must drive, use extreme caution. Please watch for Cedar Park Police updates on Twitter and visit drivetexas.org to monitor changing road conditions across the State and region.
|
|
Please do not set out carts until further notice |
|
|
|
Our trash/recycling collectors are still unable to operate due to the hazardous street and road conditions. This means there is no trash/recycling collection at least through Thursday, February 18. We are working with our provider who is monitoring landfill operations, logistics and road conditions. In the meantime, please do not set out your trash or recycling bins on the curb/street until further notice. We'll post updates here, as they become available.
|
|
|
|
City of Cedar Park Water
The City of Cedar Park public water distribution system is currently functioning normally, with no service interruptions or operational issues. At this time, the City has no plans to shut off water.
We understand how concerning it is to see several neighboring communities experiencing water service interruptions but these do not affect the City of Cedar Park’s water utility. If anything were to change, we would notify our water customers. We are encouraging residents not to use an unnecessary amount of water at this time as that puts additional strain on the system — so use what you need and no more! If you are not able to run water, it is most likely due to frozen pipes. If you are experiencing frozen/broken pipes and need to reach our Public Works staff for answers to basic questions on how to turn off your home's water, please call 512-401-5550, 7 a.m.- 7 p.m. through Sunday.
|
|
Emergency Warming Assistance |
|
It is going to be another cold night for those without power, but if you find yourself in an emergency situation please reach out to the number above for more information on warming centers. |
|
Please save 9-1-1 for true emergencies
It’s no secret that our 9-1-1 system has been inundated over the past couple of days. It is critically important that we keep our 9-1-1 lines of communication open for Police, Fire and EMS emergency response. Please reserve calls for 9-1-1 for medical and life-threatening emergencies only. Please refrain from calling 9-1-1 to report things such as power outages and frozen/broken pipes so we can keep our Dispatch lines open for emergencies. If you are experiencing an outage, please click here to see the PEC's outage center or call 888-883-3379. If you are experiencing frozen/broken pipes you can call 512-401-5550 7 a.m.-7 p.m. through Sunday for assistance.
|
|
Please stay inside
We want to remind you of the importance of staying inside your home until our weather and road conditions improve. The additional non-freezing temperatures today, combined with re-freezing and possible additional frozen precipitation overnight, will create another new layer of hard and slippery ice. This makes even walking outdoors especially unsafe. Also, subfreezing temps can cause hypothermia and frostbite. It's best to stay inside and not risk injury.
Please do not drive
We ask again that you please do not drive unless absolutely necessary. Despite multiple de-icing treatments, most of our roads remain unnavigable under current conditions.
Remember: because of the hazardous road conditions, our emergency responders are taking extra safety precautions. This could extend response times and they could experience issues accessing call locations. It’s best for us all to stay inside and keep ourselves and our First Responders safe!
|
|
|
Preventing Carbon Monoxide exposure
The CDC has important information on how to prevent carbon monoxide exposure.
-
Do seek prompt medical help if you suspect CO poisoning and are feeling dizzy, light-headed or nauseous.
-
Don’t use a generator, charcoal grill, camp stove, or other gasoline or charcoal-burning device inside your home, basement, or garage or near a window.
-
Don’t run a car or truck inside a garage attached to your house, even if you leave the door open.
-
Don’t burn anything in a stove or fireplace that isn’t vented.
-
Don’t heat your house with a gas oven.
-
Don’t use a generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline-powered engine less than 20 feet from any window, door, or vent. Do use an extension cord that is more than 20 feet long to keep the generator at a safe distance.
To get more tips and information on carbon monoxide, visit the CDC website here.
|
|
|
|
The PEC says its crews are working quickly and safely as possible to restore power to our area. They have put together a page titled "Why is my power out?" to help answer some of your questions. You can find that information here. Many of you have wondered why your street or neighborhood has lost power and others have not or why the power outage has been longer than 40 minutes. See frequently asked questions for PEC here.
We remind you to please not call 9-1-1 to report electricity outages. If you are experiencing an outage, please click here to see the PEC's outage center and report outages or call 888-883-3379.
|
|
Tips to conserve energy if you have power from Atmos Energy |
|
-
Lower your thermostat to at least 68 degrees.
-
Businesses should minimize energy usage as much as possible.
-
Lower the water heater temperature to 120 degrees.
-
Never use an oven or a gas stovetop to heat your home.
-
Unplug electronic devices and turn off lights that are not in use.
- Reduce shower time and avoid baths.
-
Refrain from using large appliances like your washer, dryer, oven, and dishwasher for the next few days. When in use, limit opening the oven door to prevent wasted energy.
-
Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning.
-
Avoid using your natural gas fireplace, if possible.
-
If you have a pool, do not use the pool heater. Instead, run your pool pump during the coldest part of the day to circulate the water and prevent freezing.
For additional information, click here.
|
|
Local school district schedules are subject to change. Please use the links below to get the latest updates from LISD and RRISD. |
|
Spot a downed tree?
Does the City have a plan for picking up downed trees and limbs from the ice storm?
Yes. For now, please do not place fallen limbs/trees at the curb/in street. We'll announce more information about a plan to collect those when this weather event is over. Keep up with these updates here.
If it’s on a neighborhood street or sidewalk, please report it to us here. If it’s causing a life-threatening hazard in a major roadway or is creating another serious issue – such as pulling down a power line – please call 9-1-1. Please know that our Police and Firefighters have been responding non-stop weather-related accidents and other emergencies, and our Public Works crews have been working around the clock to clear fallen trees across sidewalks and streets throughout Cedar Park.
As the temperatures warm up we understand that you will be eager to clear your property as soon as possible. Please wait until we announce the plan for pickup before moving trees and limbs to the curb. We need time to normalize operations so that we can efficiently and safely clear the storm debris.
|
|
|
|
We ❤️ our Water Treatment, Water Distribution and Pump and Motors staff! They’ve been working around the clock to help keep our City water service going. Thank you!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
