The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has made available for public comment the Implementation Plan (I-Plan) for four draft Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for indicator bacteria in Tributaries of the Neches River below Lake Palestine, of the Neches River Basin, in Angelina County.
The purpose of the meeting is to provide the public an opportunity to comment on the draft I-Plan for four assessment units: 0604A_02, 0604B_01, 0604C_01, and 0604M_03.
After the public comment period, staff may make appropriate changes to the proposed I-Plan and will respond to public comments. Following the public comment period, the TMDL Program will request that the Commission consider approval of the final I-Plan. Upon approval, the final I-Plan and a response to all comments received will be made available on TCEQ’s website. The I-Plan, combined with the TMDL, provides local, regional, and state organizations with a comprehensive strategy for improving and maintaining water quality in an impaired watershed.
The public meeting for the draft I-Plan will be held at the Angelina County Extension Office, 2201 S Medford Dr., Lufkin, Texas 75901 on February 27, 2023, at 6:00 p.m.
Meeting-related updates and documents are available on the project website at:
https://www.tceq.texas.gov/…/118-lufkinwatersheds-bacteria
Written comments on the draft TMDLs may be submitted to Nicole Reed, Water Quality Planning Division, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, MC 203, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas, 78711-3087 or faxed to fax4808@tceq.texas.gov.
Electronic comments may be submitted at: https://tceq.commentinput.com/
All written comments must be received at TCEQ by midnight on March 14, 2023, and should reference: Implementation Plan for four Total Maximum Daily Loads for Indicator Bacteria in Tributaries of the Neches River below Lake Palestine.
For further information regarding the draft I-Plan, please contact Nicole Reed at Nicole.Reed@tceq.texas.gov. The draft I-Plan can be obtained via TCEQ’s website.
December 28, 2022
To: Prairie Grove Utilities Customers (Public Water System ID # 0030027)
Subject: BOIL WATER NOTICE RESCINDED
On Friday, December 23, 2022, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) required the Prairie Grove Utilities public water system (PWS ID Number 0030027) to issue a Boil Water Notice to inform customers, individuals, or employees that due to conditions which occurred recently in the public water system, the water from this public water system was required to be boiled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes.
Prairie Grove Utilities has taken the necessary corrective actions to restore the quality of the water distributed by Prairie Grove Utilities used for drinking water or human consumption purposes and has provided TCEQ with laboratory test results that indicate that the water no longer requires boiling prior to use as of December 28, 2022.
If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact Mr. Chris Key, P.E., Operations Division Manager, Angelina & Neches River Authority at (936) 632-7795 or (800) 282-5634.
If a customer wishes to contact TCEQ, they may call (512) 239-4691.
Update – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday:
The news so far today is good. We began this morning with full tanks as hoped, and as of 3:30 p.m., we’ve only dropped by 11%.
Dropping at all doesn’t sound great, but we expect some during the day because the well is undersized.
It’s normal for usage during the day to outstrip the ability of the system to replenish, and it generally is able to catch up overnight when demand is at its lowest.
The demand we’re seeing so far today is in line with an average day. So we believe most, if not all, of leaks have been found.
Will we be able to leave it on tonight?
We’re can’t promise yet, but likely, yes.
Unless usage spikes significantly this evening, it’s looking VERY likely that we will be able to leave it on.
This evening around 7 p.m. once we see what it looks like after everyone gets home and starts using more water, we will update with a final decision.
These updates all go out over multiple channels: anra.org, the text notification system, and here on Facebook.
If you would like to receive these alerts as text messages, signup is easy. Just text “PGU” to 800-282-5634.
The East Texas area is expecting extreme low temperatures overnight Thursday, December 22, 2022. Current weather forecasts indicate that overnight temperatures Thursday into Friday morning could reach into the single digits and remain below freezing for 24 to 48 hours.
ANRA is asking all of its retail customers to make preparations now to protect people, pets and plumbing.
– Adequately insulate all outdoor water faucets, hose bibs and other plumbing devices
– Turn off and drain water lines where possible
– For customers who live in elevated structures, (pier and beam homes, mobile homes and RVs) turn off your water and drain
water lines
– Open the cabinet doors below sinks
– Keep the temperature inside your residence the same at night and during the day when no one is home
ANRA recommends letting faucets drip only if the measures above cannot be achieved.
Remember, while it may be inconvenient to take some of these extreme measures, its much more inconvenient and expensive to do nothing.