Water

You may have noticed….

In November of 2015, the Northampton MUD (Municipal Utility District) began construction of Water Plant #3 on the east side of Gosling Road, about .25 miles south of W Rayford Rd. (behind the Shell station). In predicting the growth of the area, the Northampton MUD Board planned to have this plant online and running before demand on the other two plants would be impacted.  The plant will be operational by the end of the year and will provide constant water pressure and increased capacity throughout the district.

Additional water for the District will be supplied by the new 1100 feet deep fresh water well that reaches the Evangeline Aquafer and has a capacity of providing 1300 gallons per minute.

It’s hard to miss the fact that the new plant features a 195-foot-tall water tower.  The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality requires an elevated storage tank (EST) for public water systems with more than 2,500 connections.  The bowl at the top is 52 feet in diameter and holds 500,000 gallons of water.

Currently, the District has two water plants that contain 3 wells with three ground tanks, providing approximately 1.4 million gallons of water storage space. With the addition of the new EST, Northampton will have approximately 1.9 million gallons of storage space.

Our four water wells will provide the District with ground water for projected population increases and the EST provides gravity-supplied water pressure in case of dire emergencies.  Each water plant, the wastewater treatment plant and all wastewater lift stations are equipped with their own electric generators powered by either diesel or natural gas engines that kick-in automatically if the CenterPoint power grid fails.

During the week of June 24, Hays Utility, the District’s Operator, will be performing a flushing of the water distribution lines as a part of the regular maintenance of the system.

Unidirectional Flushing (UDF) is an excellent, water-efficient method of cleaning water distribution pipes to improve water quality and restore capacity. The premise is simple: develop a plan that flushes water from a clean source through the water line pipe and out, working in one direction and one segment at a time. By cutting off other flows, scouring velocities of greater than 3 feet per second are achieved. At these velocities, the moving water “scours” out sediment, biofilm, corrosion products, and tuberculation. Not only is UDF a more effective way of cleaning than conventional flushing, but it uses on average about 40 percent less water than conventional flushing. Equally important, the sediment, corrosion products and biofilm are flushed out and not just moved to another pipe run that’s often the case in conventional flushing.

Residents may experience drops in pressure during flushing activities, but water service should not be interrupted. If you experience any major taste, odor, or color changes occur during flushing activities, please contact the District’s Operator at 281-353-9809.

Water quality issues in some areas of the neighborhood are due to repairs made at Water Plant No. 1 located behind the MUD office. Hays Utility, the operator for the District, has flushed all main lines to correct the problem. You may clear your house lines by starting with your largest bathroom upstairs. Begin with the bathtub, including the hot water. Once clear, run the sink faucet. Repeat for all remaining tubs and faucets upstairs. Clear all faucets downstairs, including the kitchen. Make sure the faucets run long enough to empty the water heater. Be sure to include refrigerator water and to cycle the freezer ice maker, dishwasher, and washing machines. The water has been tested and contains normal levels of residual chlorine disinfectant. If the problem persists after your house lines have been flushed, please call our operator, Hays Utility, at 281-353 9809.