By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-980495.mp3
Dallas, TX – The record heat across North Texas is deadly and disrupting. KERA's BJ Austin reports.
On Monday Dallas County reported 9 heat related deaths. By Wednesday afternoon that number was 13. Tarrant County has one heat-death from earlier this summer and 204 visits to emergency rooms for heat-illnesses. The E-R visits top 300 in Dallas County.
Health Department director Zach Thompson says free, window unit air conditioners are available to low income Dallas County residents without A/C. Tarrant Public Health officials advise people to call 2-1-1.
With the heat, WATER demand is up. The city of Grand Prairie has instituted strict water restrictions today. The city's Amy Sprinkles says restricting lawn watering to two days a week may be in effect for some time - even after the city's peak water demand eases.
Sprinkles: If the water agencies go into restrictions because of reservoir levels being low, we'll have to continue. So, we're in effect until further notice.
The North Texas Municipal Water District has already activated water restrictions for member-cities, including Plano and McKinney. And boat ramps on Lake Arlington are closed because of low lake levels.
The relentless heat bucked a high traffic road in Frisco. The northbound lanes of Legacy Drive, between Lebanon and Stonebrook Parkway are closed while repairs are made.
TxDOT in Dallas says the heat is melting some temporary pothole repairs. And it's threatening to warp some rail tracks. Because of that the Trinity Railway Express and Denton's A Train are running slower.