As residents know, the winter storm that blew through the area a couple of weeks ago wreaked havoc on many homes and businesses throughout the Greater Houston Area. Several systems that supply water in and around the area were impacted by sustained sub-freezing temperatures, resulting in loss of water pressure for thousands of local residents. In light of the anticipated historic storm, and for the benefit of District residents, having a continuous water supply to Ricewood MUD was a priority.
Thankfully, the District’s Operator Inframark had a plan, and worked diligently to uphold the level of service that Ricewood MUD residents have come to expect and depend on. Inframark was happy to answer some questions about their actions before and during the storm.
Below are questions and answered by the District Operator Representative, Mirna Bonilla-Odums, regarding the event:
Q: What preventative actions were taken prior to the storm?
A: Facilities are walked and checked to make sure winterizing is in place, generators are exercised, and plants are cleaned up to avoid debris from flying around.
Q: Were there any issues at the time of the freeze event (Sun/Mon)?
A: Ricewood’s water plant and lift stations ran without any issues.
Q: What actions were taken during the storm?
A: Additional checks during the day were made to see that the facilities were working properly.
Q: Did you have a tech stationed at the Water Plant?
A: Yes. We stationed a technician at the water plant to monitor the facility and generator.
Q: Are there permanent generators at the facilities? Are they Diesel or Natural Gas?
A: Yes. The permanent generator is natural gas.
Q: Was the Customer Service Office impacted?
A: Our W. Grand Parkway N. office was impacted; it suffered power outages and limited staff personnel. Calls were rerouted to management to tend to customer calls.
Q: How did you avoid having to issue a Boil Water Notice? Did you lose water pressure?
A: Ricewood’s backup generators kept the Water Plant operating after the power outage. And when the local water authority stopped providing water, Ricewood converted to producing 100% of our water from our water well for the duration of the event. As a result, Ricewood was able to maintain both pressure and treatment and, therefore, a Boil Water Notice was not necessary.
Q: What actions were taken to restore or to prevent pressure loss?
A: Same as above.
Q: Did you have techs working in the Ricewood District to aid in resident water shut offs, where needed?
A: Once the roads were clear and safe, our technicians mobilized and drove throughout the District addressing leaks, helping customers close water valves, and assisting businesses identify leaks on their properties.
Inframark went above and beyond to provide excellent service to the residents of Ricewood MUD. Thank you Inframark for all you do for the District!!
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