Sagemeadow Municipal Utility District, PWSID: 1010386, performed a free chlorine conversion from Wednesday, 2/23/22 through Wednesday, 3/16/22. The system began converting back to its routine treatment process of chloramination on 3/16/22.
As part of the disinfection process, municipalities will flush their systems by opening fire hydrants. Water users may notice some water discoloration or cloudiness. These conditions are harmless and temporary and should be remedied by fire hydrant flushing.
The water is safe to drink, to use for cooking, to bathe in and for other everyday uses. The district’s operators will continue monitoring the water quality and sampling to ensure the water system is maintaining adequate disinfection levels within the distribution system.
SPECIAL NOTE
Owners of fish and reptiles should follow standard water treatments using products that remove both chlorine and chloramine from the water.
Dialysis centers will continue to treat the water to remove all chemical disinfectants, including chlorine and chloramine, before the water is used for dialysis. Home dialysis users should consult their machine manufacturers for instructions on how to properly treat their water before use.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why does drinking water need to be disinfected?
The disinfection of water has played a critical role in improving drinking water quality in the United States. It has been standard practice in the U.S. for more than a century. In fact, American drinking water supplies are among the safest in the world, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.
What are drinking water requirements in Texas and who regulates water quality? Public water systems are required to disinfect water prior to it entering the distribution system that carries it through pipes to customers. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regulates drinking water in the state.
What is chloramine and why does the water system use it?
Chloramine is an effective disinfectant that works over a long period of time, particularly in areas with high temperatures like Texas.
Are free chlorine and chloraminated water safe?
Yes, both forms of chlorine are safe for people and animals to drink, for cooking and bathing, watering the garden, and for all other common uses. However, precautions must be taken to remove or neutralize chloramines and free chlorine during the kidney dialysis processing, in the preparation of water for fish tanks and ponds, and for businesses requiring highly-processed water. Most customers will not need to take any precautions as the water remains safe to drink and is treated according to both state and federal standards.
Can I drink the water during this maintenance program?
The water will continue to meet Federal and State standards for safe drinking water during this program. The district’s operators will continue monitoring disinfection levels to ensure customers are provided adequately disinfected water.
Why all the flushing?
In order to change the process and facilitate rapid system conversion, we must flush to remove the free-chlorinated water and replace it with chloraminated water throughout the system.
If I have questions, who should I call for more information?
For more information, please call Municipal District Services at 281-290-6500, Option 1.
