Austin still under emergency water use restrictions and boil water notice
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As the City enters its third day of a city-wide boil water notice, the Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center remains activated and continues to work with staff from Austin Water, the Lower Colorado River Authority, the National Weather Service and the State of Texas to monitor water conditions and the situation at the Highland Lakes.
The most important thing for the community to do is to conserve water and to boil water for drinking and cooking. Please avoid water usage that is not completely necessary. When boiling water, it should be brought to a vigorous, rolling boil for three minutes. In lieu of boiling water, residents may use bottled water.
You can find the most up-to-date information at austintexas.gov/boilH2O, or by following @austintexasgov on Twitter.
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Supporting the alignment of affordable housing, public transit, and healthy food availability can improve access to nutritious food, as well as the quality of life, for the most vulnerable populations in Austin-Travis County. Addressing all three of these factors can successfully move the needle on food insecurity and community health.
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Getting involved and providing input on food policy in Austin
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Food is a human right, and growing food is vital to ensuring the availability and accessibility of food for all Austin residents. The Austin Travis County Food Policy Board recommends policies and practices to construct a healthy, equitable, and vibrant food system.
In 2016, the Austin City Council approved the Austin Healthy Food Access Initiative, six important recommendations for improving the local food system. These recommendations are now being realized through collaborations of government, higher education, nonprofits, businesses, and the agriculture community. By working together, we can make healthy food a reality for everyone.
You can get involved in these initiatives and provide input on healthy food access.
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What's next for Austin's Food System?
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Prioritizing the local food system gives Austin control over the hidden costs of food to our community. These costs include negative environmental impacts from unsustainable production and long-distance distribution, poor health outcomes associated with eating low quality food, and low wages for food workers that increase poverty rates and exacerbate affordability challenges. Austin has an unparalleled food community — from local urban farms and community gardens to world-class restaurants and grocery stores.
However, current data indicate that not everyone has equitable access to all this bounty. Our office is committed to collaborating with the community to ensure a more sustainable local food system, prioritizing assistance to vulnerable populations in favor of greater health, prosperity, and equity. Much of the work described in the new State of the Food System Report is a strong start to strengthening Austin’s food system. We will continue the work of ensuring that Austin’s food environment supports healthy and sustainable food choices for everyone.
– Edwin Marty, City of Austin Food Policy Manager
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