Stage 2 Water Conservation Measures

Dear Customer:

Due to ongoing drought conditions, Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 502 has initiated Stage 2 water conservation measures. We may require more water use restrictions if conditions worsen.

Water use restrictions now in place:

  1. Water Customers are required to limit all outdoor water usage, including, but not limited to, lawn and garden watering, car washing, and window washing to even-numbered days for Customers with even-numbered addresses and odd-numbered days for water Customers with odd-numbered addresses, and only between the hours of 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, and 12:00 midnight to 6:00 am. In the event no street address exists, Customers living on the north and west side of a street should use water outdoors only on even-numbered days and Customers living on the south and east side of a street should use water outdoors only on odd-numbered days.
  2. All outdoor water use, including but not limited to lawn and garden watering, car washing, and window washing, must be conducted with a hand-held hose with a manual on-off nozzle.
  3. The District shall recommend that the following public water uses not essential for public health and safety be curtailed:
    • Street washing;
    • Fire hydrant flushin; and
    • Filling of swimming pools

Please note that the Towne Lake Community Association uses non-potable water from the lakes for irrigation of certain common areas throughout the Towne Lake community, which helps to reduce demand on the potable water system and preserve the availability of potable water for other uses. Such non-potable water usage is not covered by these restrictions.

The following penalties shall apply to anyone violating the terms of this Plan or the Drought Response Measures or Emergency Response Measures adopted pursuant hereto:

A. First Violation. Any person or entity who violates this Plan shall receive written notification of such violation, which notice shall set forth (i) the date of the violation, (ii) the nature of the violation, (iii) the Drought Response Measures then in effect, and (iv) the penalties applicable for any further violations of this Plan; provided, however, that if such person or entity has ever previously violated this Plan, the penalties set forth in Section B below, may, in the discretion of the Board, be imposed.

B. Subsequent Violations.

  1. Disconnection for Noncompliance. If any person or entity violates any provision of this Plan more than one time (which violation shall constitute an unauthorized use of District services and/or facilities), then in addition to any other remedies,penalties, sanctions and enforcement procedures provided for herein, the District shall have the right to terminate water service to such person or entity after notice and any other procedural requirements in the District’s rate order are satisfied.
  2. Monetary Penalties for Noncompliance. If any person or entity violates any provision of this Plan more than one time (which violation shall constitute an unauthorized use of District services and/or facilities), then, in addition to disconnection as provided in Subsection B1 of this Section, the Board of the District, after providing required notice, may impose a penalty of up to the jurisdictional limit of a justice court, for each violation of this Plan. Each day that a breach of any provision of this Plan continues shall be considered a separate violation. This penalty shall be in addition to any other legal rights and remedies of the District as may be allowed by law.

The Board of Directors appreciates your cooperation and perseverance during this Conservation Condition. Once the Conservation Condition ends, we will notify you, and you may then return to normal usage. If conditions should worsen, it may be necessary to proceed to Stage 3, at which time you will be notified of the more stringent restrictions to ensure the availability of water in your community.

Notice of Stage 1 Drought Conditions

Please be advised that the Master District has triggered Stage 1 (voluntary reductions) of its Drought Contingency Plan due to the ongoing drought conditions and is requesting that all potable water users reduce their usage immediately.

Potable water usage is increasing rapidly in the Master District’s Service Area (consisting of Harris County MUD Nos. 500, 501, 502, and 503), and under the Master District’s Drought Contingency Plan, we may be required to implement mandatory water use restrictions if conditions continue to worsen. The Master District encourages each Participant to implement one or more drought response measures in your Drought Contingency Plan, as applicable. We will continue to monitor potable water use and will provide another notice if the drought stage changes or if Stage 1 drought conditions have been lifted.

We appreciate your cooperation during this challenging time. A copy of correspondence sent to customers within Harris County MUD No. 500, as a Participant District, is attached.


Dear Customer:

Due to ongoing drought conditions, Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 500 (MUD 500) has initiated Stage 1 (voluntary) water conservation measures for potable (drinking) water and is requesting that all potable water users reduce their usage immediately. Potable water usage is increasing rapidly and under MUD 500’s Drought Contingency Plan, we may be required to implement mandatory water use restrictions if conditions continue to worsen. Last summer, when we requested voluntary conservation, you answered the call and were able to ensure a continued sufficient water supply for the Towne Lake community. Now that drought conditions have returned, we need your help again to reduce potable water usage and avoid the need for mandatory restrictions!

Stage 1 (Voluntary) water use restrictions now in place:

Customers are requested to voluntarily limit all outdoor potable water usage, including, but not limited to, lawn and garden watering, car washing, and window washing, as follows:

  1. District residents and other users of water within the District with even-numbered addresses should use potable water outdoors only on even-numbered days, and District residents and other users of water within the District with odd-numbered addresses should use potable water outdoors only on odd-numbered days. In the event no street address exists, District residents and other users of water within the District lining on the north and west side of the street should use potable water outdoors only on even-numbered days, and District residents and other users of water within the District on the south and east side of the street should use potable water outdoors only on odd-numbered days. District residents and other users of water within the District with irrigation controllers that do not have an even-odd option should use potable water outdoors no more than every other day.
  2. Potable water should not be used outdoors for irrigation or other uses in the morning between the hours of 6:00 am and 10:00 am, and in the evening between the hours of 6:00 pm and 12:00 am (midnight).

Please check the settings on the controller for your irrigation system to make adjustments to the dates and times the system runs to implement these requested changes. Please note that the Towne Lake Community Association uses non-potable water from the lakes for irrigation of certain common areas throughout the Towne Lake community, which helps to reduce demand on the potable water system and preserve the availability of potable water for other uses.

MUD 500 will continue to monitor potable water use and will provide another notice if the drought stage changes or if Stage 1 drought conditions have been lifted. The MUD 500 Board of Directors appreciates your cooperation and perseverance during this challenging time.

WHCRWA Not Receiving Water from City at This Time – Please Conserve Water

At the City of Houston’s request, the WHCRWA has turned off the valve connecting it to the City’s water system and is not receiving water from the City at this time.

WHCRWA’s water supplies will be limited and most retail water suppliers will utilize groundwater wells to meet demands. Please make every effort to reduce water consumption at this time.

WHCRWA will continue to keep you updated as this situation evolves.

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:

 

No Boil Water Notice for HCMUD 502

There is no boil water notice in effect for Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 500, which provides water service to Towne Lake residents. The City of Houston has issued a Boil Water Notice for their water system and other systems affected by the City’s issue. While local media (and social media) are reporting boil water notices for the City and those other Water Districts in our area, these notices do not pertain to Harris County MUD No. 502 receivers. Again, Harris County MUD No. 502 is not currently under a Boil Water Notice.

In the event a Boil Water Notice needs to be issued for our MUD, notification will be provided. For immediate and up-to-date 24/7 information, you can always reach EDP’s 24-hour Customer Service line at (832) 467-1599.

Notice of Public Hearing on Tax Rate

The HARRIS COUNTY M.U.D. #502 will hold a public hearing on a proposed tax rate for the tax year 2022 on October 5, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at 9955 Barker Cypress Road, Suite 250, Cypress, TX 77433. 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.

Click here to read the notice.