Author: HCMUD 222

Understanding the Orange Fence: New Water Pipeline Construction and What It Means for Wortham Residents

Why is there an Orange Fence along the Hiking Trail in Wortham?

Construction is about to begin on a new water pipeline that is part of the North Harris County Regional Water Authority’s (NHCRWA) ongoing pipeline installations in our area. Construction is set to begin in early November.  The sidewalk along the bayou will be closed during construction. The dog park and lake will still be accessible from the other side.

What are the blue pipes near the big power lines?

The blue and black pipes current stacked under the power transmission lines near Wortham Blvd is for the main water line being installed. It will go under Hwy 290 to service the MUDs in that area. If you would like to see maps showing the entire project, visit the NHCRWA website below and click on Projects.

The new pipeline being built to service MUD 222 will connect to this main line near Eldridge and run along White Oak Bayou past the sewer treatment plant, past our park, under Wortham Blvd, and continue along the bayou until it reaches the MUD 222 water treatment plant located in the back of Wortham Grove. The pipeline will continue along White Oak Bayou behind Wortham Estates and crossing where Fallbrook ends at the bayou. Homeowners along this path (backing up to the bayou) will receive additional notifications.

Here is a map of the location of the pipeline and water treatment plant.

What is NHCRWA?

The NHCRWA was established to address the growing water needs of our region and ensure a reliable, long-term water supply. As our population has increased, so has the demand for water, putting pressure on our existing groundwater resources. Over-reliance on groundwater has led to issues like subsidence, where the land gradually sinks due to the removal of groundwater.

To combat this, the NHCRWA is working to reduce groundwater usage by transitioning to surface water sources. The pipeline installations you’ve seen are part of this initiative, designed to bring treated surface water from Lake Houston to local Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs). This will help stabilize the groundwater levels, reduce subsidence, and ensure a sustainable water supply for the future. For more information go to https://www.nhcrwa.com/

When will MUD 222 start using surface water?

We do not have an exact date for conversion but the target is sometime in 2025.  As we get closer and a date is given, the MUD 222 Board will provide multiple methods of communication to reach everyone in the district. There is still a lot of work to do to complete the pipeline, installing the connections in the water plant, testing and preparing the pipeline for use so please be patient and rest assured that you will be notified well in advance of this transition.

This website will continue to be the main source of accurate information – please tell your neighbors to sign up for alerts at www.MUD222.org so we can all stay informed.

MUD 222 Trash and Water Update

Garbage Pick up

On Thursday 7/11, due to extremely heavy volumes of trash, Texas Pride was only able to pick up household garbage. The remaining lawn clippings and branches will be picked up on Monday 7/15. Large volumes of storm debris will be picked up by Harris County at a time TBD. We apologize for the late notice and inconvenience but appreciate everyone’s patience as we clean up from this storm.

Clean up of tree branches along the parks, trails, lake and other common areas are in the works and will be completed as crews are able to prioritize.

Water Quality during the Storm

This storm is a good reminder that MUD 222 and our operator, Municipal Operations, prioritize ensuring no interruption to water or sewer services during storms or any other potential disruptions. Our water and sewer plants are equipped with backup generators that are tested regularly and able to function for extended periods of power loss.

The water in your taps has remained safe during this recent power outage and at no time this week did you need to boil water or take other precautions. In the event there is ever an issue with the water quality in MUD 222, rest assured that you will be notified through this messaging service as well as signs posted in all neighborhood entrances.

Hurricane Beryl – Trash Service and Preparation Notice

Due to Hurricane Beryl, Texas Pride has suspended service in the Houston area on Monday July 8th. Regular service will resume on Thursday for garbage and Monday July 15 for recycling. Please do not put out garbage and recycling tomorrow and take recommended precautions for the storms.

For more information please visit www.TexasPrideDisposal.com or www.mud222.org.

MUD 222 and our operator, Municipal Operations, will continue to monitor conditions to ensure no interruption to water or sewer services.

Holiday Schedule Alert: Garbage and Recycling Pickup Days

Merry Christmas from MUD 222!

As you are preparing for the holidays please remember that garbage and recycling will not be picked up on the Mondays of Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. Garage will continue to be picked up on Thursday 12/28 and Thursday 1/4 and recycling will resume on Monday January 8, 2024. Please plan accordingly.

Visit www.TexasPrideDisposal.com for more information.

Voluntary Water Restrictions in Place

Stage 1 of the district’s drought contingency plan has been triggered.  Please limit irrigation and lawn watering to the times and days indicated below.

  • Tuesdays and Saturdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6 or 8)
  • Wednesdays and Sundays for water customers with a street address ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9)
  • Mondays and Fridays for all other customers

Outdoor water use shall be prohibited between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Harris County MUD 222 has Implemented Stage 2 of Our Drought Contingency Plan

The following conditions are currently mandatory.  The District is triggering Stage 2 of its Drought Contingency Plan in response to North Harris County Regional Water Authority’s (the “Water Authority”) triggering of Stage 2 under the Water Authority’s Drought Contingency Plan.  The District may terminate its drought response stages upon receipt of notice that the Water Authority has terminated its drought response stages.

The District requests that any customer receiving water from Harris County MUD 222:

  • Repair detectible water leaks within 72 hours of discovery.
  • Utilize water conservation measures such as displacement bags, low-flow shower heads and leak detection tablets. Additional water conservation tips can be found at irrygator.com;
  • Limit all outdoor water usage, including, but not limited to, lawn and garden watering, car washing, and window washing, as follows:
      • District residents and other users of water within the District with even-numbered addresses may use water outdoors on Tuesdays and Saturdays;
      • District residents and other users of water within the District with odd-numbered addresses may use water outdoors on Wednesdays and Sundays.
      • Retail customers responsible for watering common areas such as greenbelts, esplanades, and sports fields shall be limited to Mondays and Fridays.
      • If no street address exists:
        • Only District residents and other users of water within the District living on the north and west side of a street may use water outdoors on even-numbered days; and
        • Only District residents and other users of water within the District on the south and east side of a street may use water outdoors on odd-numbered days.
      • Outdoor water use shall be prohibited between the hours of 6:00 am and 9:00 pm.

These conditions are mandatory.

Harris County MUD 222 has implemented Stage 1 of our Drought Contingency Plan

The following conditions are currently voluntary.

The District requests that any customer receiving water from Harris County MUD 222

  • Check for and repair all leaks, dripping faucets, and running toilets.
  • Utilize water conservation measures such as displacement bags, low-flow shower heads and leak detection tablets. Additional water conservation tips can be found at irrygator.com;
  • Limit irrigation to no more than two days per week, between 7:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. following the schedules below:
    • Sundays and Thursdays for single family residential customers with even-numbered street addresses.
    • Saturdays and Wednesdays for single family residential customers with odd-numbered street addresses.
    • Tuesdays and Fridays for all other customers.
    • No watering on Mondays.

These conditions are voluntary.

Holiday Trash Schedule – Christmas & New Year’s

Garbage and recycling will be picked up on Monday 12/26 & 1/2 as usual, however, service may run later due to excess holiday volume.

You are encouraged to place yard waste, Christmas trees, etc. out on Thursday 12/29 & 1/5.

Boil Water Notice Not in Effect for HCMUD 222

Notice: MUD 222 customers are NOT part of the recent boil water notice given to City of Houston residents and our systems were not affected by or attached to the systems that are subject to the notice.

Remember that MUD 222 water is pumped from our own water well in the neighborhood and we currently do not receive water from the City of Houston. If there is an emergency affecting water in MUD 222 you will be notified through our email and text alert system so please SIGN UP FOR ALERTS HERE.

Notice of Public Hearing on Tax Rate

The Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 222 will hold a public hearing on a proposed tax rate for the tax year 2022 on Thursday, October 20, 2022, at 11:30 A.M., at 13430 Northwest Freeway, Suite 700, Houston, TX. Your individual taxes may increase at a greater or lesser rate, or even decrease, depending on the tax rate that is adopted and on the change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other property. The change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in the taxable value of all other property determines the distribution of the tax burden among all property owners.

Visit Texas.gov/PropertyTaxes to find a link to your local property tax database on which you can easily access information regarding your property taxes, including information about proposed tax rates and scheduled public hearings of each entity that taxes your property.

Click here to read the notice.