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HARRIS COUNTY WC&ID #114 - NOTICE TO RESIDENTS OF WATER CHANGES AND CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS
The Harris County WC&ID #1141 Board of Directors would like to bring you up to date on the progress of the construction projects and make sure you are aware of the changes that will occur in our water in the next few months.
Construction Progress The four construction projects under way at our water plants totaling about $1.6 million are as follows:
All are progressing well and are anticipated to be complete in the next few months prior to summer, when demand is highest. Coordination of the work between all four contracts is a challenge because we need at least two of our water plants in operation at all times. See the photos of the work in this newsletter. The next extensive construction project will be the rehabilitation of our 20 miles of sanitary sewer pipes that carry wastewater away from your home or business. We anticipate it will take 4 to 5 years to line all sanitary sewer pipes in our district. The first phase will be bid soon with work anticipated to be under way in late spring. More information about this project and how it will affect you will be in a future newsletter article and water bill insert. Water Changes In February 2010, WCID #114 will be changing the disinfectant that we use for our water from chlorine to chloramines. This change is intended to benefit our customers by reducing the levels of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in the system, while still providing protection from waterborne disease. Please note that water disinfected with chloramines is safe for bathing, drinking, cooking, and all normal uses of water. However, the change to chloramines can cause problems to persons dependent on certain dialysis machines and may be toxic to fish in tanks without proper treatment or filtration equipment. For persons dependent on dialysis machines, a condition known as hemolytic anemia can occur if the disinfectant is not completely removed from the water that is used for the dialysate. Consequently, the pretreatment scheme used for the dialysis units must include some means, such as a charcoal filter, for removing the chloramines prior to this date. Medical facilities should also determine if additional precautions are required for other medical equipment. If you have a fish tank, please make sure that the chemicals or filters that you are using are designed for use in water that has been treated with chloramines. You may also need to change the type of filter that you use for the fish tank. For questions that you may have about this change, EPA scientists and experts have answered 29 of the most frequently asked questions about chloramines. Please visit the EPA’s website for these answers at www.epa.gov/ogwdw000/disinfection/chloramine/index.html . As many of you are aware, WCID 114 is making this change due to the addition of surface water to our current groundwater supply that will begin in February 2010. We will be receiving surface water from the North Harris County Regional Water Authority (NHCRWA) in order to comply with the Harris-Galveston County Subsidence District mandate to reduce land surface subsidence in North Harris County by reducing groundwater pumpage by 30% by the year 2010. The NHCRWA contractor is completing the connection to our Water Plant #1 (see photos). Information concerning the conversion can be found at the North Harris County Regional Water Authority website at www.nhcrwa.com . Depending on the time of year and demand, we will be on all groundwater or a blend of surface water and groundwater. Over time, we will be receiving more surface water and pumping less groundwater. You may notice a change in the hardness of the water that will depend on the amount of surface and groundwater. As part of the conversion process, it will be necessary to conduct a complete flushing of the water lines in the district. The exact date(s) will be provided to you in a separate letter or water bill. This may cause the water to become discolored for a temporary period of time. All efforts will be made to minimize this effect, but you may consider refraining from doing laundry or other household chores involving water on the date(s) specified. If you notice discolored water, run the water until it runs clear. Strategic Partnership Agreement WCID #114 entered into a strategic partnership agreement with the City of Houston in December 2009n which means:
It is not possible to forecast the income generated from the sales tax, but any extra income will help our district’s finances. More Information To learn more about your water and wastewater sewer systems, proposed projects, conversion to surface water, and the water district financial situation:
For billing questions, service, or emergencies, please call Eagle Water Management at 281-374-8989. The WC&ID #114 Board is committed to continue to provide you with clean and safe drinking water, uninterrupted and at good pressure; and to collect and treat your wastewater at the lowest cost possible. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us. Jack Searcy 281-376-5538 Bob Naremore 281-376-3912 Steve Fitzgerald 281-370-6665 Jay Sibley 281-251-9900 Keith Koteras 281-370-5682
1 WC&ID #114 serves most of Memorial Northwest, Memorial Estates, Theiss Elementary, Doerre Middle School, and some commercial properties. Memorial Northwest Sections 16 and 18 – 22 are served by Harris County MUD #24.
Water Plant #1 ground storage tank – 30+ year old roof Water Plant #1 ground storage tank – new roof NHCRWA surface water transmission line to WCID #114 at Thiess Gully NHCRWA surface water connection and valves at WCID #114 Water Plant #1 30+ year old master control panel at Water Plant #1 after Hurricane Ike New master control panel at Water Plant #1 New disinfection system (chloramines) at Water Plant #1
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