Freezing Weather Notification

Winter weather and freezing temperatures are expected this week across Texas. The National Weather Service is forecasting widespread freezing temperatures on Friday and Saturday morning (12/23 – 12/24). In such conditions, it is imperative to protect the “Four P’s”: People, pets, pipes and plants.

People

  • Keep warm, stay inside if possible.
  • If you need to go out, dress in layers and wear hats, gloves and an appropriate coat.
  • Avoid overexertion, as cold weather puts added strain on your body.

Pets

  • Bring pets inside, and move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas.
  • Keep adequate food and water available.

Pipes

  • Disconnect outdoor hoses, drain and store in protected area.
  • Wrap exposed faucets and pipes – including those outside the house or in unheated crawl spaces, attics, garages and other areas.

Plants

  • Bring potted plants inside or store in garage near interior wall to provide extra warmth and protection from wind.
  • For cold-sensitive outdoor plants, put down extra mulch and consider covering with a cloth fabric of some kind to shield the plants from wind and frost.

Additionally, if you have an irrigation system, turn off the water to the system at your backflow preventer and then drain the system so your irrigation pipes and sprinkler heads are not damaged.

As it pertains to the dripping of faucets, we are asking and advising our residents and customers NOT to drip their faucets. This could cause a dip in water pressure at your facility. If you reside within the greater Houston area and are part of the Regional Water Authorities (West Harris County Regional Water Authority, North Fort Bend Regional Water Authority, North Harris County Regional Water Authority), or receive water from the City of Houston, dripping faucets will put a strain on the system resulting in low pressure or even depleting the water system.

The following sites can also be used as a source of information and to keep you updated:

 

2022 Property Tax Bills

The property taxes imposed annually by Cinco MUD 5 are included on your Fort Bend County tax bill. We understand that many taxpayers have not yet received their tax bills, although the Fort Bend County Tax Office (281-341-3710) indicates it mailed the bills the week of December 5.

Tax statements are available for viewing and printing on the Fort Bend County Tax assessor collector’s website. See below:

Link to tax office website:

https://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/government/departments/tax-assessor-collector/property-taxes

Direct link to view & print statements:

https://actweb.acttax.com/act_webdev/fbc/index.jsp

Taxpayers can search online for their bills by name, address, or account number.

Water Wise Fest

Please join us tomorrow, November 5th for a special water conservation event hosted by the Cinco MUDs at Central Green at LaCenterra from Noon-3pm. Events for the kids, including touring the NFBWA Mobile Learning Lab, and giveaways for kids and adults!

Garbage Collection Update (All Pickup is now Curbside)

IMPORTANT: Back and garage door pickup is ending. All collection going forward will be curbside.

The District’s garbage collection contract expired as of 10/31.

Upon renegotiation, the garbage contractor increased its rate, and the District’s new minimum monthly charge to all residential customers with garbage service is $17.50 as of November 1, 2022.

Notice of Public Hearing on Tax Rate

Cinco Municipal Utility District No. 5 will hold a public hearing on a proposed tax rate for the tax year 2022 on September 13, 2022 at 4:30 pm at Willow Fork Country Club, 21055 Westheimer Parkway, Katy, 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.

Notice of Public Hearing on Tax Rate (PDF)

Drought Contingency Implementation of Stage 1

North Fort Bend County Water Authority (NFBWA) is recommending that districts they serve implement Stage 1 of their Drought Contingency Plans.  This will go into effect June 30th, and continue until notice is provided that the implementation has been lifted.

The goal is a 10% reduction in all water use and is currently voluntary. Mandatory measures may be imposed, if a water shortage continues.

  • Please conserve water daily under the following guidelines:
  • District customers are requested to voluntarily reduce all water usage.
  • Check for and repair all leaks, including sprinkler systems, leaky faucets, and/or running toilets.
  • All outdoor water use should be avoided between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. and between the hours of  6:00 p.m and 12:00 a.m (midnight).
  • Customers with even-numbered addresses should limit outdoor water usage, including yard watering, to even-numbered days.
  • Customers with odd-numbered addresses should limit outdoor water usage, including yard watering, to odd-numbered days.

Please visit https://www.nfbwa.com/water-saving-tips for additional water saving tips.

Why We Flush Fire Hydrants and Water Lines

Why We Flush

Keeping our hydrants and water lines clear of debris, odor and contaminates requires constant vigilance. That is why we schedule routine flushing of our hydrants and water lines.

We flush for a variety of reasons:
  • Basic water system maintenance to exercise and test the hydrants
  • Response to calls about poor-quality water that is discolored or has a undesirable odor or taste
  • To refresh lines that do not get a lot of flow
  • After repairs are made in the water system
  • To do a flow test ensuring the system has adequate pressure for newly installed fire systems
We flush our water lines for similar reasons, but there are additional factors such as:
  • The State of Texas through the TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) mandates that dead end lines (the ends of non-looped water lines) be flushed at least once a month
  • Because iron, manganese and other particulates naturally occur in ground water, some of these particulates oxidize and change color when they come into contact with the water systems disinfection. Generally, we flush those lines when we get calls, but in those areas that frequently get discolored water, we schedule regular flushing
  • With surface water, there are indicators that inform us when the water needs to be flushed so it does not get stagnant
  • When we have a main line repair, we flush the lines to remove any debris that may have entered as well as disinfecting the line and taking bacteriological samples
  • If the system has lost pressure it will be flushed along with other measures to ensure the water is safe for consumption

If we did not flush, debris from construction could stop up the water lines, discolored water would not clear, and areas of stagnant water could lose disinfection and possibly cause illnesses. Flushing can prevent these issues and also prevent discolored water from staining clothes when washed.

How We Flush

We have a number of ways to flush the systems. If the entire system needs to be flushed, we use a directional flushing plan created by the district engineer and Inframark. This isimplemented by opening and closing specific valves and hydrants throughout the water system until every line has been flushed. If it is a main line break, usually only the area that is around the line that was compromised and repaired will be flushed.

Dead ends are generally flushed through a 2-inch valve for as long as it takes to get clear water and a good disinfection residual. For new construction, the valve and hydrants on the new water line will be partially opened until the new section is flushed out and full. The valve will be closed when we receive a good disinfection residual. Bacteriological samples will be collected to verify disinfection.

We use four basic tools to flush a hydrant:
  • A fire hydrant wrench to remove the cap off of the hydrant and to turn the valve to start the flow
  • A flow diffuser is used to disperse the flow from the hydrant which reduces possible injury or property damage. Some diffusers are capable of flow measurement
  • A fire hose at times when the flow from the hydrant needs to be moved to prevent any damage
  • A splash plate which is used to divert the flow from the hydrant outward so the ground below the plate does not erode or wash out

When We Flush

Inframark has a schedule for flushing that often exceeds TCEQ directives. Dead end lines are flushed at least monthly while directional flushing is generally done annually. Poor water calls, main line repairs and emergencies are done as soon as they can be done safely.

We flush your hydrants and water mains to make sure that they work properly, and the water used is safe for consumption and has no bad odors or discoloration.