Texas Snow Storm

After a brutal winter storm that Texas faced last week, many were left without electricity and water for days. The storm caused an increase in demand for electricity and thus a shortage of it that forced millions to loose their power on these cold days according to NPR. The extreme whether even led to many pipes freezing and bursting in homes without power to heat up the pipes. Many warming centers that had opened up to provide Texans shelter also lost power. It was an unpleasant week for many.

The main reason why Texans lost their power and lacked a sufficient backup was the fact that Texas' power comes from an independent grid, which means they could not import power from other states. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) mentioned that the system was minutes from crashing and causing a blackout that would last for months according to the Community Impact.

As a result of the many pipes that burst in homes without electricity, many individuals lacked access to water until their pipes were fixed. This process was extremely long because the entire house has to be broken from the inside in order to reach the pipes. After the pipes were repaired, the structure of the house had to be rebuilt to how it was previously.

These pipe failures caused many Texans' homes to flood. Particularly, underserved areas faced more worrisome issues when it comes to water supply because of a lack of infrastructure.

Recognizing the urgent need for providing water to individuals without it, Mission Tomorrow plans to organize several water drives in order to help combat this growing issue. By partnering with local food pantries and the City of Dallas, we can reach individuals in Southern Dallas, an underprivileged area, and provide aid. Mission Tomorrow would appreciate if you could help us meet this call through your contributions.