Every year, usually in the month of March, our water supplier, the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD), makes a temporary change in the way they disinfect our drinking water. The change lasts approximately 28 – 30 days. This process prepares their system for the heat and high demand of the spring and summer months. It is a common practice in water systems throughout the nation.
The change in disinfection processes will last approximately 30 days. During this time, Garland Water Utilities staff will be flushing water through our fire hydrants to move the water quickly through our system and to help offset any changes to taste and odor. Read more about fire hydrant flushing. Also, here is the map of the flushing sites that will be operating during the temporary change in the disinfection period.
Over the years, NTMWD has invested in upgrades to its raw water processing equipment. One of those improvements directly addresses the issue of taste and odor of our drinking water. However, it is possible that some customers may notice a stronger taste and smell of chlorine. It is important to note that the quality of our drinking water remains safe for all uses, including drinking.
“Our licensed water technicians take daily water samples from throughout the city to consistently ensure that our water is safe“, said Managing Director of Garland Water Utilities, Wes Kucera.
You can review the water sample results in the Quick Links on the right side of our drinking water page. Also, we have produced a video to explain why this process is done each year.
The city of Garland’s annual water quality reports (also known as Consumer Confidence Reports) can be found here.
Information and photo provided by city of Garland.