Resource Hub

The Bayou City Waterkeeper Resource Hub is designed to empower communities with the knowledge and tools necessary to advocate for water justice in the Houston region. As a comprehensive platform, it offers community members, local agencies, and stakeholders access to educational materials, resources, and guidance to support their advocacy efforts and advance water justice.

Explore our resources by filtering relevant topics or types of materials that interest you. You can view all resources and refine your search below.

Community Engagement and Participatory Science Guide

This guide has been adapted from other guides and toolkits. This guide serves to equip us with worksheets, tools, examples and resources to support and inform our community engagement and community based science process.

Private Sewer Lateral Policy Brief (Spanish)

Este informe proporciona información general sobre la infraestructura de alcantarillado sanitario, junto con los problemas de alcantarillado en Houston que llevaron a un tribunal a ordenar a la ciudad que invirtiera 2.000 millones de dólares en infraestructura de alcantarillado hasta 2036. A medida que la ciudad marca el tercer año de esta inversión en abril de 2024, este informe de política ofrece nueve demandas de alcantarillado creadas con el aporte de entrevistas comunitarias, divulgación e investigación, así como la experiencia organizativa con la infraestructura de alcantarillado.

2025-26 Policy Agenda by Bayou City Waterkeeper

Building on the foundation of our regulatory engagement, our 2025-26 policy agenda represents a significant step forward in our role as water policy leaders of the region. While continuing our vital work of holding polluters accountable and ensuring regulatory compliance, this agenda broadens our focus to address the root causes of water inequities. It outlines a comprehensive vision for a healthy Lower Galveston Bay watershed, encompassing and emphasizing proactive policy changes to our decision-makers.

Justice in the Sewers: Sewage Issues in Pasadena and What We Can Do About Them

This resource provides history and context of sewage issues happening within the city of Pasadena.

Houston City Hall Public Comment Guide and Template

Are you interested in testifying to Houston City Hall, and need assistance preparing your testimony? Use this guide here to give you information on how to testify and for assistance with preparing your testimony.

What is the MS4?/ Qual es el MS4? (English/Español)

Learn about the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) program, a critical component of the federal Clean Water Act that governs how stormwater is managed in urban areas like Houston. This resource explains the significance of MS4s in reducing pollution, the current state of the MS4 permit in Harris County and Houston, and the potential benefits of updating the permit to include green stormwater infrastructure. Explore how this renewal process impacts local communities, especially those historically underserved, and discover how it can lead to cleaner, healthier waterways and neighborhoods.

FEMA Nature Based Solutions Flashcards

Looking for more examples of Nature Based Solutions? FEMA has provided and created definitions for different types of solutions that center nature.

Surge Forward Zine (English/Español)

Looking for a Surge Forward resource to share among friends? Check out this zine.

Surge Forward Fact Sheet (English/Español)

This factsheet was created to give more information and background about the Ike Dike and what alternatives that the Surge Forward Coalition recommends.

Surge Forward Landing Page

What is Surge Forward? Surge Forward is a coalition of organizations here in Texas working towards advocating for alternatives to the Ike Dike, a megaproject that is being proposed along the mouth of Galveston Bay. Looking for where to find resources and updates for our Surge Forward work? Please visit this landing page for more information.

5 Critical Wetland Mapper

Explore wetlands in your community with Bayou City Waterkeeper’s Wetland Mapper. This web map helps you locate key wetland areas and highlights the 5 Most Critical Wetlands identified by our team. Part of our Wetland Watch Hub, this tool supports efforts to protect these vital ecosystems.

5 Critical Wetland Story Map

Discover Houston’s five most critical wetlands and how we can protect them. This story map provides key background information on each site and highlights their importance to our environment. Explore these vital areas and learn what can be done to preserve them. This is also included in our Wetland Watch Hub.

Wetland Watch Hub

Looking for Bayou City Waterkeeper’s wetland resources and maps all in one place? Please visit our Wetland Watch Hub for background on our protecting wetlands work, and also to view our 5 Critical Wetland mapper and story map. Created in partnership with Rice University’s Diluvial Spatial Studies Lab

Justice in the Sewers Map

This interactive map, developed by Bayou City Waterkeeper in collaboration with the Diluvial Studies Lab at Rice University, visualizes City of Houston sanitary sewer overflow data alongside private sewer lateral overflow data. It provides a detailed look at where sewage overflows have occurred, highlighting the areas most impacted by these environmental challenges.

Justice in the Sewers Hub

Our Justice in the Sewers hub is an on-going hub to share information about the wastewater consent decree required Houston to invest $2 billion in sewer upgrades, following our investigation into over 9,300 sewage overflows affecting marginalized communities.This hub links in resources and maps related to BCWK’s Houston SSO work.

Natural disaster resources

Prepare Before a Storm

Make a household emergency plan, gather essential supplies, and know how you will receive official information.

Make a plan and build a kit: Ready Houston provides Houston-area planning guides, emergency-plan templates, and preparedness information. Households should prepare enough food and water for five to seven days.
Prepare for hurricanes: Ready.gov includes guidance for preparing your home, planning an evacuation, and staying safe before, during, and after a hurricane.
Plan for disabilities and access and functional needs: Ready Houston’s DAFN resources cover medical equipment, utility outages, accessible emergency kits, evacuation, and support networks.
Register for evacuation assistance: Dial 211 to learn about the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry, or STEAR. Registration does not guarantee a particular service during an emergency.
Check your flood risk: Use the Harris County Flood Warning System for rainfall and bayou-level information in Harris County.

Sign Up for Emergency Alerts

Sign up for alerts where you live and work. Because no single alert system will report every emergency, follow more than one reliable source.

ReadyHarris also offers accessible alerts in American Sign Language and English and Spanish voice-to-text formats. Text READY to 281-609-9093 to register.

During a Storm or Emergency

Find Information and Assistance

Emergency services: Call 911 for immediate threats to life or safety.
Community resources: Dial 211 or 877-541-7905, or search 211 Texas, for shelter, food, crisis counseling, health services, utility assistance, and housing resources.
City of Houston services: Dial 311 or 713-837-0311 to report flooding, water leaks, fallen trees, malfunctioning traffic signals, or other non-emergency City concerns. Houston 311 operates 24 hours a day. Submit a request online.
Emergency shelters: Check the American Red Cross shelter map or call 800-733-2767.
Road conditions: Check closures, flooding, crashes, and construction on state-maintained roads through DriveTexas. Local street conditions may need to be confirmed with the city or county responsible for the road.
Local emergency updates: Visit Ready Harris and the Houston Office of Emergency Management during an active event.

Power Outages, Downed Lines, and Gas Leaks

View outages and restoration estimates through the CenterPoint Energy Action Center.
Report a power outage or downed power line: 713-207-2222 or 800-332-7143.
Stay at least 35 feet away from downed or low-hanging power lines. Do not touch nearby fences, vehicles, trees, or standing water.
If you smell natural gas, leave the area immediately and call 911. Then call CenterPoint at 713-659-2111 or 888-876-5786.

After a Storm

Report Damage

Tell your insurance provider about damage as soon as possible. Photograph damage before beginning repairs when it is safe to do so.
Report damage to the State of Texas: Complete the TDEM iSTAT Damage Survey for damage to a home, business, or agricultural property. This helps officials identify needs and determine whether an area may qualify for additional assistance.
Completing iSTAT is not an application for financial assistance, does not replace an insurance claim, and does not guarantee assistance.
Share unmet needs with local nonprofits: Complete Connective’s Disaster Needs Assessment. This is not an application for or guarantee of assistance.

Recovery Assistance

Disaster legal aid: Low-income disaster survivors can call Lone Star Legal Aid at 866-659-0666 or apply online. Assistance may include insurance claims, landlord problems, home-repair contracts, lost documents, property ownership, and disaster-benefit appeals.
State assistance: Find housing, health, food, recovery, and other programs through TDEM’s Resources for Texans.
Texas health and benefits assistance: Visit Texas Health and Human Services disaster assistance.
Destroyed SNAP food: A household may request replacement benefits when food purchased with SNAP was destroyed by a flood, fire, tornado, or qualifying power outage. The loss generally must be reported within 10 days of discovering it. Dial 211 or review HHSC replacement-benefit instructions.
Federal disaster assistance: When federal Individual Assistance has been approved for your location and disaster, apply at DisasterAssistance.gov. FEMA assistance is not activated for every emergency or every affected county.
Home cleanup: Crisis Cleanup numbers and closing dates change with each disaster. Check current Crisis Cleanup activations rather than publishing the old 832-509-2977 number permanently. Cleanup help is volunteer-based and is not guaranteed.

Boil Water Notices

A boil water notice means your water may contain harmful bacteria or other microbes. Follow the notice issued by your water provider until the provider officially announces that it has been lifted.

Does a notice apply to me?

Check your water provider’s website, alerts, social media, and direct notices.
If you do not know your provider, check a recent water bill or search the Texas Drinking Water Watch database.
City of Houston customers can call 311 or 713-837-0311 about an unexpected water interruption.
Follow TCEQ’s boil water guidance for statewide information.

While a boil water notice is in effect:

Bring tap water to a vigorous rolling boil for two minutes, then let it cool before using it.
Use boiled or bottled water for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, preparing infant formula, washing produce, and giving water to pets.
Throw away ice made with tap water.
Boil tap water even if it has passed through a household filter.
Avoid swallowing water while bathing. Consider sponge baths for babies and young children.
Continue following the notice until your water provider announces that it has been lifted.