City of Georgetown Facilities Closed Jan. 21 Due to Winter Storm Warnings: Avoid Travel if Possible

The following is a press release by the City of Georgetown

City of Georgetown facilities will be closed to the public Tuesday, Jan. 21, in response to winter weather. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning through 6 p.m. Jan. 21.

City street crews will continue to treat roads and bridges. Check this map for live treatment tracking. Georgetown residents should avoid travel if possible through Tuesday, Jan. 21, and exercise caution while driving. Many staff will still be working remotely, including our utility billing and customer care teams. Find more information and contact details at georgetowntexas.gov.

Tuesday’s closures include:

Art Center, 816 S. Main St.
Animal Shelter, 110 Walden Drive
City Hall, 808 Martin Luther King, Jr. St.
Council and Courts Building (including Municipal Court), 510 W. Ninth St.
Garey Park, 6450 RM 2243
Georgetown Municipal Complex, 300-1 Industrial Ave.
GoGeo paratransit services
Grace Heritage Center, 817 S. Main St.
Parks and Recreation Administration, 1101 N. College St.
Planning Department, 809 Martin Luther King, Jr. St.
Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St.
Public Safety Operations and Training Center, Police Records and Fire Support Services offices, 3500 D.B. Wood Road
Recreation Center, 1003 N. Austin Ave.
Tennis Center, 400 Serenada Drive
Visitors Center, 103 W. Seventh St.

Board and Commission meetings scheduled for Tuesday have been cancelled. The Georgetown Executive Airport will remain open.

Solid Waste and Recycling Collection

As of 3 p.m. Monday, Texas Disposal Systems was planning to collect landfill trash or recycling on Tuesday, Jan. 21. If you are on a Tuesday route, please put your carts out by 7 a.m. as per usual. Residents should leave their cart at the curb until it is collected, as TDS may run late or decide to delay routes until the following day. The Transfer Station, 250 W.L. Walden Drive, will remain open Tuesday.

Helpful links and contacts

Water and electric outages

Severe weather may cause electric outages. Keep electric devices charged and ensure backup power or alternative heating options are available if needed. If you or someone you know relies on electricity for medical purposes, please make the appropriate accommodations. City electric crews are on standby and ready to respond to outages and restore power safely.

Georgetown electric customers experiencing an outage should refer to the City’s outage map or text STATUS to 512-930-8400 and follow the prompts. The system will recognize your number if it’s tied to your utility account. Please refer to the electric outage page for more information and to verify if you are Georgetown Electric customer.

If you are an Oncor or PEC customer, please use these links for information about electric outages:

Residents can help conserve energy by:

Turning down thermostats to 68 degrees
Turning off and unplugging non-essential lights and appliances
Not using large appliances
Closing shades and blinds
Close off doors to, and air vents in, unused rooms
Learn more winter preparation tips from Atmos Energy

Weather updates

The National Weather Service discourages travel throughout Texas as many roadways may be slick and hazardous. A winter storm warning is in effect until 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21.

Visit weather.gov/ewx for weather forecast updates.

Protect people, pets, pipes, and plants

With temperatures expected to fall below zero with the wind chill, please protect the 4Ps: people, pets, plants, and pipes.

People, especially children and the elderly, need protection from the cold. Dress in layers and wear a hat that covers your ears to retain body heat. Also protect your extremities with warm socks and gloves.

Pets, such as cats and dogs, need access to shelter to protect them from cool temperatures and winds, and an unfrozen water source. Bring all pets inside and provide plenty of blankets for warmth. Once it is above freezing again, pets can be left outside if you provide a dry, draft-free shelter just large enough for them to lay down and protected from wind and rain. Outdoor pets may also need additional caloric intake to help them maintain their body heat.

Pipes can freeze and burst in lower temperatures. Protect outdoor water spigots with faucet covers and use foam pipe insulation on outdoor pipes. Above-ground irrigation backflow devices can also freeze, so remember to wrap or insulate them and turn off backflow water valves and irrigation system controllers to reduce the freeze potential.

There is a risk of damage to exposed pipes during a hard freeze, especially across Central Texas. When water freezes, it expands and can burst the pipe. To protect your indoor pipes, open cabinet doors and eliminate drafts where water supply lines are located in unheated areas.

In the event of frozen pipes, it’s recommended that you turn off your water at the main shut-off valve to prevent additional damage when the pipes unfreeze. Learn how to find and operate your main shut-off valve here.

Plants in containers are more susceptible to freezing temperatures because they lack the insulation the earth naturally provides. Move container plants inside or put them on the south side of the house, water them, and pile on mulch, leaves, and hay to protect the roots, and/or cover them with a frost blanket.

Check out these cold weather preparedness tips from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.