Nearly half of Texans remain under boil-water advisories as broken pipes wreak havoc on supplies As Texas restores power after a devastating week of freezing temperatures and winter storms, the state is confronting a new crisis: overwhelmed water systems that could extend misery for much of the population. Leaks caused by frozen pipes have pushed the state’s water supplies to the brink. More than 14.6 million Texans, nearly half the state’s population, remained under a boil-water advisory Friday, according to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality spokeswoman Tiffany Young. More than 1,225 water supply systems and 63% of Texas counties are affected.