The City of Manvel received a Superior Public Water System designation from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) last month, achieving its two-year-long mission of improving the infrastructure and quality of its public water system. This award recognizes overall excellence in all aspects of operating a public water system. Signs depicting this accomplishment will begin to go up around the city in the coming weeks.
Due to the hard work and dedication of Community Services Director Gilbert Salas, Utilities Supervisor Ray Word, and the entire Utilities division, the City of Manvel public water system has now been recognized as a Superior Public Water System by TCEQ. This designation means that residents and businesses within the community can rest assured that the water they drink not only meets but exceeds the guidelines laid out by the Texas Administrative Code as well as the criteria set forth by TCEQ.
To achieve this designation, the Utilities division began in 2020 setting strategic goals to improve our water system which included:
- Addressing any outstanding TCEQ violations and ensuring no others arose.
- Scoring over and above expectations on comprehensive TCEQ audits.
- Proactive disinfectant and bacterial water quality testing – daily, monthly, and quarterly.
- Hiring experienced, highly qualified personnel with associated licenses to manage water plants.
Over the last two years, the City of Manvel has invested approximately $1,260,000 into water system infrastructure, including the opening of a new water plant located in Manvel Town Center, which provides an additional 1,728,000 gallons of water to the city a day, with an added 244,000 gallons of ground storage.
By improving capacity, the City of Manvel is able to provide a continuous supply of clean, potable water to residents as well as meet capacity requirements set by TCEQ. These requirements are crucial because it enables a system to not only reach consumers but to reach them efficiently. This distinction is made because systems with low capacities often have low water pressure, and low pressure can increase the likelihood of outside infiltration.
“I could not be prouder of our Utilities division,” Community Services Director, CWP Gilbert Salas said. “Their diligence and commitment to exceeding expectations for the city’s residents is what brought us to where we are today.”
TCEQ outlines several requirements for a superior water system rating:
- Physical facilities shall comply with the requirements in sections laid out in the Texas Administrative Code.
- There shall be a minimum of two licensed operators with additional operators required for larger systems.
- The system’s microbiological record for the previous 24 months period shall indicate no violations (frequency, number or maximum contaminant level of the drinking water standards.
- The quality of the water shall comply with all primary water quality parameters listed in the drinking water standards.
- The chemical quality of the water shall comply with all secondary constituent levels listed in the drinking water standards.
- The system’s operation shall comply with applicable state statutes and minimum acceptable operating practices set forth in §290.46 of this title (relating to Minimum Acceptable Operating Practices for Public Drinking Water Systems).
- The system’s capacities shall meet or exceed minimum water system capacity requirements set forth in §290.45 of this title (relating to Minimum Water System Capacity Requirements).
- The system shall have at least two wells, two raw water pumps or a combination of these with enough capacity to provide average daily consumption with the largest well or pump out of service. This requirement shall also apply to treatment plant pumps necessary for operation in accordance with §290.42 of this title (relating to Water Treatment).
- The water system shall be well maintained and the facilities shall present a pleasing appearance to the public.
Only 707 of the 6,952 (10.1%) public water systems regulated by the State of Texas have have been designated a Superior Public Water System.
“As the City of Manvel continues to grow, we are committed to maintaining the high standard of service our residents have come to expect and are eager to keep improving as we move forward,” Salas said.
The last few months have been exciting for the City of Manvel Utilities division with the public water system having also joined the state’s Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP) Program on March 2, and three of its employees – Gilbert Salas, Ray Word, and Atanacio Mares – being honored at the March 6 City Council meeting for achieving their Certified Water Professional (CWP) designation from TEEX.
Ray Word promises the Utilities division will continue to work diligently to serve the residents of Manvel. There is plenty still to come as the division explores new and innovative ways to supply the city with clean, superior water.
