AP PHOTOS: Winter storms spread power and water woes
People wait in line to fill propane tanks Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Houston. Customers waited over an hour in the freezing rain to fill their tanks. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Howard and Nena Mamu eat dinner at their home in the Glenwood neighborhood in Hutto, Texas, Tuesday, Feb 16, 2021. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Dialina Gonzalez sleeps on a mattress inside a Gallery Furniture store which opened as a shelter Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon stands on his kitchen counter to warm his feet over his gas stove Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
After seeing a posting on Facebook, LaDonna drove from Johnson County, Texas to collect some of the dumpsters-full of ice cream thrown out at a supermarket, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. LaDonna said she’s collecting the frozen goods for her neighbors. Rolling power outages this week have forced businesses to clear merchandise that needs refrigeration. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News via AP)
Leonel Solis and Estefani Garcia use their car to heat their home in East Dallas area of Dallas on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. The couple, who lost power on Sunday, have been using electricity from a neighbor’s generator and heat from their car to stay warm after seeing it on TikTok. (Juan /The Dallas Morning News via AP)
Snow blankets a neighborhood in Austin on Monday, Feb. 15, 2021. (Bronte Wittpenn/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Brian Bowen drags his friend Eric Andries down a street in Overton Park in Memphis, Tenn., Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian via AP)
Two men climb over downed trees as they head out to retrieve gas for generators, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Huntington, W.Va., following a winter weather system. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)
People seeking shelter from below freezing temperatures rest inside a church warming center Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
A water bucket is filled as others wait in near freezing temperatures to use a hose from public park spigot Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Sara Castillo loads firewood into her car Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Dallas. Castillo said the fire would be used to burn for warmth as her family has been without power since Sunday due to blackouts caused by extreme cold. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Natalie Harrell holds her sleeping daughter, Natasha Tripeaux while sitting in a recliner at a Gallery Furniture store after the owner opened his business as a shelter for those without power at homes Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Icicles hang on the back of a vehicle Monday, Feb. 15, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
A Home Depot parking lot is covered in snow in the Westbury neighborhood, Monday, Feb. 15, 2021, in Houston. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP)
A sign advises customers entering a South Arlington QT that they have no running water, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. The City of Arlington told residents to conserve water and boil water after a potential water main break. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News via AP)
Ivan Gonzales, left, works with his brother-in-law Gabriel Martinez to assist a motorist using a carpet up a hill along the snow-covered Cherrywood Road in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. (Bronte Wittpenn/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Icicles form on a citrus tree from a sprinkler system used to protect the trees from the freezing temperatures on Monday, Feb. 15, 2021 in Edinburg, Texas. (Delcia Lopez/The Monitor via AP)
Customers use the light from a cell phone to look in the meat section of a grocery store Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Dallas. Even though the store lost power, it was open for cash only sales. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Houston Police officers Kenneth Bigger, center, and Aaron Day, center right, hand out blankets to people under the elevated portion of I-45 in Houston, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, as a winter weather continues to hit the area. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP)
A woman wrapped in a blanket crosses the street near downtown Dallas, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
People wait in line to fill propane tanks Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Houston. Customers waited over an hour in the freezing rain to fill their tanks. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
People wait in line to fill propane tanks Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Houston. Customers waited over an hour in the freezing rain to fill their tanks. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Howard and Nena Mamu eat dinner at their home in the Glenwood neighborhood in Hutto, Texas, Tuesday, Feb 16, 2021. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Howard and Nena Mamu eat dinner at their home in the Glenwood neighborhood in Hutto, Texas, Tuesday, Feb 16, 2021. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Dialina Gonzalez sleeps on a mattress inside a Gallery Furniture store which opened as a shelter Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Dialina Gonzalez sleeps on a mattress inside a Gallery Furniture store which opened as a shelter Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon stands on his kitchen counter to warm his feet over his gas stove Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon stands on his kitchen counter to warm his feet over his gas stove Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
After seeing a posting on Facebook, LaDonna drove from Johnson County, Texas to collect some of the dumpsters-full of ice cream thrown out at a supermarket, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. LaDonna said she’s collecting the frozen goods for her neighbors. Rolling power outages this week have forced businesses to clear merchandise that needs refrigeration. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News via AP)
After seeing a posting on Facebook, LaDonna drove from Johnson County, Texas to collect some of the dumpsters-full of ice cream thrown out at a supermarket, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. LaDonna said she’s collecting the frozen goods for her neighbors. Rolling power outages this week have forced businesses to clear merchandise that needs refrigeration. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News via AP)
Leonel Solis and Estefani Garcia use their car to heat their home in East Dallas area of Dallas on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. The couple, who lost power on Sunday, have been using electricity from a neighbor’s generator and heat from their car to stay warm after seeing it on TikTok. (Juan /The Dallas Morning News via AP)
Leonel Solis and Estefani Garcia use their car to heat their home in East Dallas area of Dallas on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. The couple, who lost power on Sunday, have been using electricity from a neighbor’s generator and heat from their car to stay warm after seeing it on TikTok. (Juan /The Dallas Morning News via AP)
Snow blankets a neighborhood in Austin on Monday, Feb. 15, 2021. (Bronte Wittpenn/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Snow blankets a neighborhood in Austin on Monday, Feb. 15, 2021. (Bronte Wittpenn/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Brian Bowen drags his friend Eric Andries down a street in Overton Park in Memphis, Tenn., Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian via AP)
Brian Bowen drags his friend Eric Andries down a street in Overton Park in Memphis, Tenn., Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian via AP)
Two men climb over downed trees as they head out to retrieve gas for generators, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Huntington, W.Va., following a winter weather system. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)
Two men climb over downed trees as they head out to retrieve gas for generators, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Huntington, W.Va., following a winter weather system. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)
People seeking shelter from below freezing temperatures rest inside a church warming center Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
People seeking shelter from below freezing temperatures rest inside a church warming center Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
A water bucket is filled as others wait in near freezing temperatures to use a hose from public park spigot Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
A water bucket is filled as others wait in near freezing temperatures to use a hose from public park spigot Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Sara Castillo loads firewood into her car Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Dallas. Castillo said the fire would be used to burn for warmth as her family has been without power since Sunday due to blackouts caused by extreme cold. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Sara Castillo loads firewood into her car Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Dallas. Castillo said the fire would be used to burn for warmth as her family has been without power since Sunday due to blackouts caused by extreme cold. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Natalie Harrell holds her sleeping daughter, Natasha Tripeaux while sitting in a recliner at a Gallery Furniture store after the owner opened his business as a shelter for those without power at homes Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Natalie Harrell holds her sleeping daughter, Natasha Tripeaux while sitting in a recliner at a Gallery Furniture store after the owner opened his business as a shelter for those without power at homes Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Icicles hang on the back of a vehicle Monday, Feb. 15, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Icicles hang on the back of a vehicle Monday, Feb. 15, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
A Home Depot parking lot is covered in snow in the Westbury neighborhood, Monday, Feb. 15, 2021, in Houston. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP)
A Home Depot parking lot is covered in snow in the Westbury neighborhood, Monday, Feb. 15, 2021, in Houston. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP)
A sign advises customers entering a South Arlington QT that they have no running water, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. The City of Arlington told residents to conserve water and boil water after a potential water main break. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News via AP)
A sign advises customers entering a South Arlington QT that they have no running water, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. The City of Arlington told residents to conserve water and boil water after a potential water main break. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News via AP)
Ivan Gonzales, left, works with his brother-in-law Gabriel Martinez to assist a motorist using a carpet up a hill along the snow-covered Cherrywood Road in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. (Bronte Wittpenn/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Ivan Gonzales, left, works with his brother-in-law Gabriel Martinez to assist a motorist using a carpet up a hill along the snow-covered Cherrywood Road in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. (Bronte Wittpenn/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Icicles form on a citrus tree from a sprinkler system used to protect the trees from the freezing temperatures on Monday, Feb. 15, 2021 in Edinburg, Texas. (Delcia Lopez/The Monitor via AP)
Icicles form on a citrus tree from a sprinkler system used to protect the trees from the freezing temperatures on Monday, Feb. 15, 2021 in Edinburg, Texas. (Delcia Lopez/The Monitor via AP)
Customers use the light from a cell phone to look in the meat section of a grocery store Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Dallas. Even though the store lost power, it was open for cash only sales. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Customers use the light from a cell phone to look in the meat section of a grocery store Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Dallas. Even though the store lost power, it was open for cash only sales. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Houston Police officers Kenneth Bigger, center, and Aaron Day, center right, hand out blankets to people under the elevated portion of I-45 in Houston, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, as a winter weather continues to hit the area. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP)
Houston Police officers Kenneth Bigger, center, and Aaron Day, center right, hand out blankets to people under the elevated portion of I-45 in Houston, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, as a winter weather continues to hit the area. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP)
A woman wrapped in a blanket crosses the street near downtown Dallas, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
A woman wrapped in a blanket crosses the street near downtown Dallas, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Power has been restored to more Texans, with fewer than half a million homes still without electricity. But many people were still without safe drinking water after winter storms wreaked havoc on the state’s power grid and utilities this week.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says 7 million people have been ordered to boil their water before consuming it, following days of record low temperatures that damaged infrastructure and froze pipes.
The cold weather is driving people to do things and go places they wouldn’t have imagined just a few days ago out of fear of putting themselves in danger of getting infected by the coronavirus. Without heat or running water, some are staying with relatives or friends, or flocking to shelters or even stores to escape the intolerable conditions.