FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 11, 2016
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Contact: Lauren Laake (832) 393-3008
lauren.laake@houstontx.gov  Â
Council Member Martin Responds to Kingwood Water Quality Concerns
Houston, TX -Â Over the past
several days, Council Member Dave Martin and staff have been working
proactively with Severn Trent Services and the City's Public Works and
Engineering Department to address water quality and discolored water
issues in Kingwood.
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According
to both entities, the brown water is a result of construction occurring
on private development near Northpark Drive and West Lake Houston
Parkway. On Tuesday
of this week, a private contractor was working to isolate fire
hydrants, which led to the disruption of built up sediment in the water
lines, and resulted in the discolored water experienced by some
citizens.
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Unfortunately,
media sources have compared the quality of Kingwood's water to that of
Flint, Michigan, whose citizens most recently have seen high
concentrations of lead. According to Jonathan Dawson, Severn Trent
Project Manager - Kingwood, the local water is continually tested and
found to be safe to consume based on the following facts:
 Flint's water has high levels of lead in it (which can be fatal). The water in Kingwood does NOT.
  The result of the lead test = 0.005 mg/l and the limit is 0.015 mg/l
The
water in Kingwood comes from wells, which are naturally cleaner than
lake water, however this means it is also rich in minerals such as iron
and manganese, which if stirred up by main breaks or water hammer can
cause the color issues.
The
water from the wells is crystal clear and tested daily. The water from
the storage tanks is also crystal clear and tested daily in accordance
with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's (TCEQ) rules and
regulations.
The water color has been only found in the transmission mains, and tests to be within the legal limits.
The results of the iron test =Â 0.040 mg/l and the limit is 0.30 mg/lThe results of the manganese =Â 0.013 mg/l and the limit is 0.05 mg/l
Severn
Trent flushes dead-end lines every month to prevent buildup of
sediments in the pipes at 100 locations in Kingwood. As in the past
week, Severn Trent also increases flushing on an as-needed basis to
remove discolored water from the system.
As of today, all of the
distribution water mains are clear of all colored water. If customers
continue to see issues, they are encouraged to first flush their lines
for 5-10 minutes. If the problem persists, customers should contact the
city's 3-1-1 Service Help Line or call Council Member Dave Martin's
office at (832) 393-3008.
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