Austin freeze prep: pipes, water, power, alerts

Short answer

Austin's winter playbook starts before the freeze. Follow the 4 P's: protect People (never heat your home with a generator, grill, or camp stove - carbon monoxide kills), bring Pets inside, insulate Pipes, and cover Plants. Find your main water shutoff valve now: for most homes it is on your side of the water meter at the meter box, and a water meter key from a hardware store opens the box. Insulate exposed pipes in attics and garages, wrap outside faucets with towels or foam insulators, and turn off irrigation for the winter. If pipes might still freeze, drip one cold water faucet slowly - the one farthest from your shutoff valve - and capture the water. Store one gallon of water per person and pet per day for seven days. Sign up for Warn Central Texas alerts, and if the power goes out report it by texting OUT to 287846. Austin Water's 24-hour emergency line is 512-972-1000, option 1.

Who this is for

Austin homeowners and renters getting ready for a hard freeze or recovering from one.

The steps, in order

1. Locate your main water shutoff valve at the meter box and keep it clear; buy a water meter key at any hardware store.
2. Insulate exposed pipes in unheated areas (attic, garage, crawl space) and wrap outside faucets with towels or a foam insulator.
3. Seal drafty windows, doors, and walls; plan to keep garage doors closed during the freeze.
4. If a hard freeze is coming, drip one cold faucet slowly - the one farthest from your shutoff valve - and capture the water for later use.
5. Store one gallon of water per person and pet per day for seven days before the storm rush.
6. Sign up for Warn Central Texas alerts and download the Ready Central Texas app.
7. Power out? Text OUT to 287846 or check outagemap.austinenergy.com. See a downed line: call 311; if it is sparking, call 911.

Have this ready

• A water meter key (hardware store, a few dollars)
• Pipe insulation or towels and foam covers for outdoor faucets
• Seven days of stored water: one gallon per person and pet per day
• A phone signed up for Warn Central Texas alerts

Common mistakes to avoid

• Dripping every faucet in the house. The city asks for one slow drip on the faucet farthest from the shutoff; wide-open drips drop water pressure for everyone.
• Waiting for the freeze to find the shutoff valve. Locate it and clear the meter box now.
• Heating your home with a gas oven, grill, or generator. Carbon monoxide is the deadly risk, not the cold.
• Leaving irrigation running through winter. Turn it off and wrap the backflow preventer.
• Renters assuming the landlord winterized. Ask your property manager where the shutoff is and who handles pipe breaks.

Common questions

Which faucet should I drip during an Austin freeze?

One cold-water faucet only, the one farthest from your main shutoff valve, at a slow drip - not a running trickle. Capture the water so it is not wasted.

Where is my water shutoff valve?

For most Austin homes, the property owner's shutoff is on your side of the water meter at the meter box. A water meter key (sold at hardware stores) opens the box. Renters should ask their property manager.

How much water should I store before a winter storm?

One gallon per person and per pet per day for seven days, stored before the first storm of the season hits stores.

How do I report a power outage to Austin Energy?

Text OUT to 287846 (text REG first to register for outage alerts), visit outagemap.austinenergy.com, or call 512-322-9100.

A pipe burst in my rental and the landlord is not fixing it. What now?

No hot water, burst pipes, and ceiling or wall cracks are code issues. Request a Code Inspector by calling Austin 311 or 512-974-2000.

Official sources

• Ready Central Texas: Winter Weather
• Warn Central Texas alerts

Checked August 26, 2026. Recheck the official page monthly and when the official page changes.

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