Mandatory Public Reporting of TCEQ Violation regarding Drinking Water Q 3 2019

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has notified the City of San Augustine public water system that the drinking water being supplied to customers had exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) in the yearly running average for Q 3 2019. The notice is attached. 

We are working to correct the problem. The City has made positive progress toward lowering TTHM. We are continuing to work with City Engineers and TCEQ to improve our system. We are now focused on the systems inside our 2.2 MGD processing basins. Specifically, we are working to make adjustments in sludge removal and chlorine levels by adding auto timers to the removal process which takes place inside the settling chamber, after the settling process has taken place. This will allow less reaction time for the organics to be in contact with the chlorine to form TTHM. The whole elimination of the undesirable byproducts of disinfection (TTHM) is a process of elimination and is limited to components of the system we can change. We have replaced many of the major parts in the last year, and we will plan for a time of low consumption to remediate our plant's internal workings since it will require shutting down half our capacity. Depending on the organic loading in City Lake, we are just barely over limits during the year, so we only need a small improvement to be in compliance.

This is the running average (not the current value), and you should note that the acceptable TTHM values were exceeded at our remote sampling points where water can not be flushed readily by the City. The longer water ages in distribution, the worse a TTHM issue becomes. We were considering relocation of sample points earlier in the year, but with input from Regulators and our Engineers, the above option is a much better course to make a much larger difference in the issue.

Remember that the City is tied to City Lake and thereby to any organic loading introduced to it by people who live in and around the area. Please be careful what you do in City Lake. Making drinking water from surface water is the most expensive and labor intensive way to make water. We are not alone in the issues, and we are working hard to eliminate the problem. Chlorine is necessary to eliminate water borne pathogens, so in a way we are always balancing one dangerous issue with another that is more of a nuisance. TTHM is the latter by far.

The issue extends to San Augustine and Bland Lake Water Supply Systems wince we are the primary supplier.

Thanks you for your patience.