As the old saying goes, “You don’t miss your water till your well runs dry.”

But rather than sit around missing your water, it may be wiser to ask some simple questions: “Why did the well run dry?” “How did the well work in the first place?”

If similar questions have crossed your mind since the City of Austin ordered people to start boiling water, you’re in luck. Here's a basic explainer on how water is treated and distributed in Austin.