Warning

[PhulesAu]

Just got a boil water notice from Houston public works. Double check with local news outlets.

 

[Brains]

If you're willing to share, which part of town?

 

[Charlie]

We makin' hot tea?

 

[matefrio]

http://edocs.publicworks.houstontx.gov/documents/director/mcl_public_notice_english.pdf

This area is bounded by I-610 to the north, 11th Street/Pecore Street to the south, Shepherd Street to the west, and Fulton Street to the east.

 

[acorneau]

The very next line from that same PDF:

There is no immediate cause for concern or need to boil water.

 

[40Arpent]

EDIT: NVM, Corneau beat me to it

 

[Glockster69]

Maybe OP is in a different area, a city that big has multiple PWSs.

 

[Glockster69]

Not very professional w/o date and other info but this shows up in a search:

https://www.houstonwaterbills.houst...s/1e7f4_QuailRunBoilWaterNotice(Eng-Span).pdf

 

[IXLR8]

My subdivision in Katy had their own MUD, that provided excellent groundwater for 30 years. The City of Houston, has forced them to use their polluted lake water from now on, and charge much more for it. Yes, the Houston reservoir has some of the worst water of any major city.

Lake Houston water quality: http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2005/5241/

10 cities with the worst drinking water:
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/41354370/.../us-cities-worst-drinking-water/#.VV8z1soo7MI

For those of you that do not know, the prevailing wind in Houston is from the south. The city acts as a heat island, so all of the chemical emmissions from the plants in the ship channel float over downtown, and land in the area north of the city. This includes an area from the reservoir to the Woodlands. The Woodlands takes a majority of the pollution.

 

[Glockster69]

I find it hard to believe CoH forced (or could force) any area to use it's water w/o annexing the tax base to support it. Which city are you in? If Katy, do they have any water production system(s)?

 

[cryption]

I got a notice this morning, I live in the spring branch area. It says NO NEED TO BOIL WATER.

"Dear Customer,

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requires that we notify all customers of a State regulatory occurrence. Routine testing in April uncovered an increase in naturally-occurring coliform bacteria in one of our seven drinking water systems. There is no immediate cause for concern or need to boil water. Continued monitoring, investigation and system adjustments have addressed the issue in the designated area, and City of Houston Drinking Water Operations staff will continue to routinely monitor the entire system.

The full notice is available on line: Click Here."

 

[PhulesAu]

Sorry for the time lag. I got a email from the Boss in San Antonio, ( our billing address) for COH. I figured most folks would know if they had Houston city water or not. He just said "Don't drink the water", that'swhy I said to check news outlets.

 

[IXLR8]

I find it hard to believe CoH forced (or could force) any area to use it's water w/o annexing the tax base to support it. Which city are you in? If Katy, do they have any water production system(s)?

The Mason Creek Utility District that has supplied water to the Nottingham subdivision in Katy, which has been using well water since it was built (circa 1978). The water always exceeded all water quality tests that were published yearly. In 2013 CoH informed the MCUD using residents that they would no longer be able to use the exisitng wells which are still in excellent condition, and must by 2017 be fully transferred to the City of Houston above ground water supply, by mandate of the City of Houston.

The subdivision is in the extrateritorrial area claimed by Houston that extends to Sealy along the I-10 corridor. Failure to comply would force Houston to immediately annex the area. It is the threat of annexation that forces them to comply. Any attempt to incorporate would immedately result in annexation (like Kingwood).

Houston does not have the resources to control the areas they already have annexed, so this would result in the same decrease in public services that Kingwood experienced. The subdivisions in Katy are all high income, high property value, and are ripe for annexation to a cash strapped Houston.

 

[Glockster69]

That's no good and yeah, when I was in Spring we worried about being annexed.

Still doesn't make sense Houston would force the issue. There's something in the background driving it and my guess is Fed $$$.

 

[Rebel]

No wonder Houston tap water tastes bad.

 

[acorneau]

IXLR8,

More than likely your MUD made an agreement with the City of Houston for water to meet their requirements under direction of the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District.

Basically, most of Houston has sunk six feet (and in some areas 10 feet!) due to water being extracted out of the water table via wells.

Read more about the HGSD here: About the District « Harris Galveston Subsidence District

 

[diesel1959]

The Mason Creek Utility District that has supplied water to the Nottingham subdivision in Katy, which has been using well water since it was built (circa 1978). The water always exceeded all water quality tests that were published yearly. In 2013 CoH informed the MCUD using residents that they would no longer be able to use the exisitng wells which are still in excellent condition, and must by 2017 be fully transferred to the City of Houston above ground water supply, by mandate of the City of Houston.

The subdivision is in the extrateritorrial area claimed by Houston that extends to Sealy along the I-10 corridor. Failure to comply would force Houston to immediately annex the area. It is the threat of annexation that forces them to comply. Any attempt to incorporate would immedately result in annexation (like Kingwood).

Houston does not have the resources to control the areas they already have annexed, so this would result in the same decrease in public services that Kingwood experienced. The subdivisions in Katy are all high income, high property value, and are ripe for annexation to a cash strapped Houston.

So, you aren't actually IN Katy--you're in unincorporated portion of the county and in Houston's ETJ. Yeah, they have the authority to force you to buy CoH water. Sucks, but it's true.

 

[IXLR8]

IXLR8,

More than likely your MUD made an agreement with the City of Houston for water to meet their requirements under direction of the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District.

Basically, most of Houston has sunk six feet (and in some areas 10 feet!) due to water being extracted out of the water table via wells.

Read more about the HGSD here: About the District « Harris Galveston Subsidence District

So the 2 foot ring goes through my neighborhood. I wish they would have ust cutoff the new subdivisions, and grandfathered ours. It is all the new construction causing problems. Even in the worst part of the drought, our MCUD water system was fully functional.

The couple of million tons of concrete Houston has put down probably has nothing to do with it.... It probably does not block the absorbtion of water into the ground... But that is not mentioned.