The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has issued an order late on Monday, August 6, for the City of Gorman to post “Boil Water” notices because of low chlorination residuals in the public water system there.

Gorman’s water is supplied by the Upper Leon River Municipal Water District which uses water from Proctor Lake and also supplies drinking water to the cities of DeLeon, Dublin, Comanche and Hamilton.
The ULRMWD has been required to take extraordinary treatment efforts in recent days and weeks due to the effects of rotting vegetation caused by flood waters.

The raw lake water is been highly stained and has a strong sulfide smell, similar to rotten eggs. Due to the water treatment plant’s capabilities, however, the treated water delivered to area homes and businesses has demonstrated little, if any, of these effects.

Gary Lacy, manager of the ULRMWD, and Carroll Abbey, plant superintendent, released the following statement to the press late Tuesday afternoon:

“Despite enjoying a much milder summer than most remember in our part of Texas, water quality issues not so uncommon during the heat of Texas at this time of year, continue to cause concern to those who treat and distribute that water to our homes and businesses. Your City, and the Upper Leon River Municipal Water District, and in some areas your Water Supply Corporation, work together to provide your water and are much aware of the issues of taste and odor and color in the water that can be caused by a number of factors.

“Our source water at Lake Proctor, while not experiencing an all-time high level during the recent un-seasonal rainfalls, and in some instances flooding, did reach a capacity of in excess of 540%. Effects of this huge inundation of property that was already “grown-up” due to earlier rains, included elevated levels of manganese, sulfides and organics that can easily multiply treatment and distribution problems that translate into taste and odors that are unpleasant and in some cases to discolored water that may be yellow, orange, and even green or brown tinted.

“The system that delivers the water to your community plays a large role in this process also and many of these issues can be improved with various system maintenance procedures. Flushing and turning over slow moving parts of the system is a primary tool and one that is being employed at this time.

“Disinfectant levels are always a primary concern and while many unpleasant aesthetics may occur, the system’s water remains regulatorily compliant as long as the disinfectant remain at levels required for the various types of disinfectants.

“Your water system has utilized “chloramines” as its primary disinfectant and in the interest of doing all that is necessary to minimize any undesirable properties that now exist and to prevent compromising the safety of the water in your system, the Upper Leon River Municipal Water District and your local provider will be changing the disinfectant to “free chlorine” for a period of time to provide what may be described as a “shock treatment.”

“While colored water and taste and odor issues currently exist, the change may or may not even be noticeable. However, these are common side-effects of this process. While these nuisances exist, be assured that these steps are measures taken to improve our water system’s integrity and will be a step leading to improved water quality.

“Some time near 5:00 p.m. on Monday the 6th of August, the City of Gorman was required to post a “Boil Water Notice” by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, as a result of a loss of adequate disinfectant residuals. By 11:00 pm that same evening, Water District employees had installed a booster chlorination system at the towns water supply facilities and began the process of “shocking” the City’s water system by changing from chloramines to free chlorine.

“However, the Boil Water Notice will continue until disinfectant residuals have been established to required levels and bacteriological testing validates that the City’s system has been checked and returned to levels of compliance for public water systems.

“At this time no other Cities that purchase water from the District are effected by the Boil Water Notice at Gorman.

“Other areas served by the District will systematically be converted from chloramines to free chlorine beginning August 8th and the process will continue for a time yet to be determined, but currently estimated at three to four weeks to ensure the full beneficial effects of this process throughout each entities’ complete system.

“Local officials and water system personnel are working diligently and the steps being taken should lead to a substantially improved water distribution system.

“Questions or concerns regarding these matters may be directed to local water system personnel or by contacting the Upper Leon River Municipal Water District @ 254-879-2228. “