The number one concern of the City of Horseshoe Bay water plant operation staff is drinking water quality. To insure even better water quality for the citizens and visitors of the City of Horseshoe Bay, staff will be conducting a free chlorine reversion of its water distribution system. The reversion will begin on February 16, 2018 and is expected to last for 28 days, ending March 13, 2018. Staff conducts this exercise approximately every 12 to 18 months.
Currently, the City of Horseshoe Bay uses chloramines as a long-lasting disinfection of the drinking water. Chloramines are created by combining chlorine and ammonia. During this annual free chlorine reversion event, the disinfection process will be changed from chloramines to free chlorine. Free chlorine is a stronger and faster acting disinfectant used to ensure distribution pipes do not develop biofilm. Customers may notice open fire hydrants throughout the water distribution system. The fire hydrants will be opened to allow flushing of the system to help remove sediment from the pipes and distribute the change in disinfectant.
Possible Noticeable Effects. It is important to understand that during this temporary change there may be some slight discoloration or cloudiness in the water and possibly a slight chlorine odor or taste. If this is experienced, you may want to run the water through the tap until it clears. Minor pressure fluctuations and small air pocket may also occur. Fire hydrant flushing should remove a majority of the color and odor, but some may reach customers lines during process.
Is the Water Safe to Drink? Yes, the water is safe to drink throughout the process. Any odor and color issues will be nuisance only, which will subside as the flushing is completed. Customers who use tap water for kidney dialysis at home should consult with their physicians to advise them if any changes are necessary in their residual disinfectant neutralization procedures. Customers utilizing the water for aquariums should monitor both free and combined chlorine residuals.
Should such quality issues appear, please contact one of the following contacts.
Plant Operations Supervisor
Joshua Hisey
830-598-9993 or 830-613-7133
or
The City of Horseshoe City Hall
830-598-8741
