12:20 p.m. update: Austin Mayor Steve Adler has signed a disaster declaration, which aligns the city with its state and county partners who have done the same, after intense flooding caused property damage and water-supply lakes to become too muddied for the city's treatment plants to handle without stalling its output of clean water.

Under the declaration, the city will be able to request reimbursement for expenses related to weather emergencies, officials said.

Earlier: Keep on boiling, Austinites.

Austin Water, after its treated water failed state quality standards earlier this week, continues to urge its customers to boil water for three minutes before drinking it or using it for cooking or making ice. Residents can use bottled water, as well.

The city issued a boil-water notice Monday morning after silt from recent flooding in Central Texas and the Hill Country muddied water-supply lakes. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality determined on Tuesday that Austin's water failed state standards on turbidity, which measures the concentration of particles in the water, making the issuance of the boil notice mandatory.

Seven distribution sites for free bottled water have been made available for those with special needs or who are unable to boil water or need bottled water for work. Supplies at the sites are limited to one gallon of water per person and four gallons of water for families. The sites are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at:

Walnut Creek Park at 12138 North Lamar BoulevardCity of Austin Warehouse, formerly Home Depot, at 7211 North Interstate 35 north service roadRoy G. Guerrero Park at 400 Grove BoulevardOnion Creek Soccer Complex at 5600 East William Cannon DriveDick Nichols Park at 8011 Beckett RoadKelly Reeves Athletic Complex at 10211 West Parmer LaneCircuit of the Americas at 9201 Circuit of the Americas Boulevard

Austin officials said the seven sites combined served 14,119 cars on Wednesday, giving out 30,408 cases of bottled water or about 96,000 gallons.

Because of the production strain on water treatment plants, Austin Water also wants customers to avoid using water outdoors, including for irrigation, watering lawns, washing vehicles or pavement, filling spas or pools, foundation watering or operating ornamental fountains or ponds.

Additionally, city officials say, residents should cut down on the amount of personal water usage. Not sure how much you're using on a daily basis? Use Austin Water's calculator tool to find out.

Here are a few ways experts say you can cut back on water usage in your home:

Take shorter showers. Keep showers under five minutes and only fill up a tub halfway, city officials said.Turn the water off. Turn off the tap when you’re brushing your teeth, washing your hair and body and while shaving. You can apply product and lather up and turn the water back on. One person showering once a day for 10 minutes uses about 40 gallons of water, according to the Austin’s water use calculator.Fix leaks. Check that your toilet is not leaking by putting food coloring in the tank. If the color shows up without flushing, your toilet could have a leak. Faucets should be turned tightly or fixed for leaks, which can drip several gallons of water a day if it goes unchecked.Fully load your dishwasher before turning it on. If you’re washing dishes by hand, make sure to scrape food off by hand first and fill the sink one time instead of leaving the faucet running while you clean.Conserve while cooking. Don’t using running water to thaw frozen food and use as little water as you can when cooking with it. Save water used from cooking pasta or vegetables to water your plants. If you drop an ice cube on the floor, throw it into a plant instead of the sink.Try to use your garbage disposal only once a day.Only run the washing machine with a full load. Hang up and reuse towels and pre-treat stained clothes so you don’t have to wash them multiple times.