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During historic cold weather events, massive infrastructure failures can leave people without water for days. Government agencies, such as city utilities, distribute disaster-preparedness information to help the public understand and mitigate potential risks. Individuals must take a proactive approach to better prepare for extreme cold weather events, and limited research exists on the specific factors that motivate people to prepare for extreme cold weather. This study investigated ways to improve individual disaster preparedness by focusing on message effectiveness, risk perception, and trust in different sources. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze survey data from 405 residents in two Texas cities. The SEM employed combined and comparative approaches to identify general patterns and context-specific water infrastructure preparedness strategies. Results indicated that effective messaging, heightened risk perception, and trust in informants are crucial to enhancing disaster preparedness, and they operate differently depending on whether people are preparing their homes before or during an extreme cold event. Differences between the models for each city suggest that tailored strategies are necessary for different communities. The findings in this study can provide valuable insights for local government, utilities, and individuals to improve risk communication and disaster preparedness.