Frequently Asked Questions

According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), an unauthorized discharge (UD) is any discharge of wastewater into or adjacent to any water in the state at a location not permitted. A sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) is a type of unauthorized discharge of untreated or partially treated wastewater. These typically occur within the collection system at manholes or pump stations.

In dry weather, an SSO can be caused by reduced capacity, obstructions, malfunctioning pump stations, and vandalism. In the case of obstructions or blockages, the build-up can cause the wastewater to back up and overflow from toilets, sinks, drains, manholes, or cleanouts. Pouring fats, oils, and greases (FOG) down the drain is a major contributor to blockages. Sometimes power outages, mechanical failures, and accidents also can cause a UD or SSO.

In wet weather, an SSO also can be caused when the sanitary sewer system is overwhelmed by excess rainfall. We call this infiltration and inflow, and it's usually the result of aging and deteriorating infrastructure. Infiltration is groundwater that enters the system through leaky pipes, faulty pipe joints, or defective manholes. Inflow is surface runoff from missing or defective manhole covers, uncovered or damaged cleanouts, defective pipes, or illegal stormwater connections. Depending on the amount and duration of rainfall, flows coming into the system can exceed the operational capacity of pipelines and treatment facilities, causing back-ups and overflows.

It depends on the volume of the SSO, as well as the area and conditions in which it occurs. Because SSOs can contain everything that goes down your drain, the untreated water may have a host of bacteria, viruses, and various other diseases. The wastewater may also include debris, algal blooms, and even decaying organic material.

The concentration and amount of the overflow determine the level of risk involved. In times of heavy rain, the concentration of the SSO is heavily diluted so it generally poses minimal risk to the environment, especially once it's absorbed and blended into larger bodies of water. But in times of dry weather, an SSO may be more concentrated, so the environmental impact can be much greater depending on the size of the overflow.

The elderly, children, and persons with a compromised immune system may be at additional risk if exposed to untreated wastewater. If the overflow is determined to be a potential health threat, NTMWD will notify the media to inform the public. In most cases, there are no impacts to public drinking water. If the SSO is near a private well, there may be an impact to those supplies. If there is an impact to the NTMWD drinking water supply, we may issue a boil water notice with specific information about how long the notice is in effect.

When an SSO occurs, NTMWD sends trained wastewater professionals to the spill site to make operational adjustments to stop the spill, investigate conditions to allow for quantification of the volume and assess cleanup approaches. A number of methods can be used to quantify volume including measuring the volume, review of system performance data, and using industry-accepted calculations.

To determine impacts, environmental specialists sample the water for key constituents and search downstream for potential environmental impacts to the affected waterways. The information collected during site inspections will help determine how to contain and clean up the spill.

When an unauthorized discharge or sanitary sewer overflow occurs, the NTMWD is required to notify the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality within 24 hours (but preferably within two hours) of a confirmed overflow. Utilities are required to notify appropriate local government officials and the media within 24 hours, depending on the size and location of the SSO or UD.

If you observe a wastewater spill, immediately notify your local water provider or contact the North Texas Municipal Water District's 24-hour hotline at 972-442-5405.

In recent years, the NTMWD has invested millions of dollars to increase system capacity, rehabilitate aging infrastructure and install backup power generators. Ongoing improvements will be necessary to provide continued reliable service as our service area grows and infrastructure ages.

Additionally, we are partnering with cities receiving regional wastewater services to implement a regional capacity, management, operations, and maintenance program to ensure best management practices for how we operate and maintain our collections systems. This will reduce the risks of UDs and SSOs.

Residents and businesses can prevent obstructions by:

• Not pouring fats, oils, and greases down kitchen or restaurant drains. Other culprits include milk, butter, ice cream, frosting, baked goods, chicken skins, creams, sauces, and salad dressings, which solidify further down the pipeline.
• Not flushing baby or bathroom wipes down toilets. Even most "flushable" wipes are not actually flushable because they don't degrade quickly enough or properly.
• Not putting other foreign objects, like paper towels or feminine hygiene products down drains or toilets.

Yes! Taste and odor is a palatability issue. The palatability change that results from a naturally occurring algal bloom does not alter the quality of the water provided to the cities and the communities served. The water supply remains safe for use with no health risks created by these events.

Overview

A natural occurrence in all surface water supplies, an "algal bloom" is responsible for the taste and odor changes in the treated drinking water supply. Algal blooms usually occur in Lavon Lake in late July and into August each year but can occur at any time if the right conditions exist in the water supply reservoir.

Summer Algal Blooms

As hot temperatures remain prevalent, ideal conditions are set for an "algal bloom." Summer algal blooms occur when high temperatures warm the reservoirs, little or no rainfall has occurred, and sunlight penetrates the water allowing photosynthesis to occur. When these conditions are present, the blue-green algae species Nostoc and Anabaena will reproduce or "bloom" giving the water an "earthy" or "musty" taste.

Winter Algal Blooms

The mid-summer "algal bloom" is the most common; however, infrequently a winter algal bloom can create taste and odor changes in the water supply during cooler weather patterns. When winter algal blooms occur, an earthy or metallic taste and/or odor might be noticeable in the water supply.

Annual Temporary Change in Disinfectant

(also known as chlorine maintenance)

Each spring for one month, NTMWD temporarily suspends the use of ammonia and uses free chlorine as the secondary disinfectant to maintain water quality year-round. Some people may notice a stronger smell or taste of chlorine during this time. While chlorine levels are consistent with the rest of the year, the temporary suspension of ammonia can make the smell or taste more noticeable. The water remains safe to drink and use. Learn more about the temporary change in disinfectant.

Currently, NTMWD laboratory personnel perform algal counts to confirm the occurrence of an algal bloom and the algal species that are responsible for the changes in taste and odor. We can reduce, but not eliminate, the taste and odor issues using current water treatment processes.

The NTMWD has implemented the use of ozone disinfection, which is expected to significantly reduce and/or eliminate taste and odor issues caused by algal blooms. Previous studies and thorough testing have shown that the use of ozone, an oxidation process, to supplement the current treatment process can provide additional advantages including:

• micro-flocculation to reduce chemical usage
• micro-constituent oxidation, and taste and odor control

While no taste and odor control process is 100% effective, ozonation greatly eliminates or minimizes the palatability issue of the water supply. Our consultants will continue to analyze the potential causes of taste and odor episodes and additional methods to address the issue.

Nutrients must be present - such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium, which are derived from decaying vegetation in the lake.

Turbidity has lessened - the turbidity or cloudiness of the lake water has cleared up, allowing the penetration of the sunlight. This occurs due to lack of rainfall.

Temperature increase - the optimum temperature range of the lake water for an algal bloom to occur is between 80° - 85°. This is provided through many hot summer days.

When all conditions are met, photosynthesis will take place and the algae will grow and/or proliferate. Algal species, such as anabaena, secrete an "oily" substance from their cells that causes an odor in the water supply. Aquatic fungi, actinomycetes, grow on dead and decaying algae and cause an earthy taste in the water.

Individuals sensitive to taste and odor differences in the water related to the algal blooms and/or our annual temporary change in disinfectant might try the following:

Drinking Water

• Add a slice of citrus or cucumber
• Refrigerate water in an open pitcher
• Run the tap for a bit before using

Bath or Shower

• Add a crushed 1000mg vitamin C tablet to bath water

Download more tips to reduce taste and odor. (PDF)

While rashes in general are very common, they have not been directly linked to drinking water treated with chlorine. For sensitive individuals, a Vitamin C tablet added to bath water can minimize the chlorine. You can also consider installing filters on faucets and showers. According to medical toxicologist Scott Phillips, MD, "There have been no scientific studies suggesting an association between psoriasis and chlorine. If you are experiencing a rash that you are concerned about, you should discuss the matter with your dermatologist." See more health-related questions and answers (PDF) from Dr. Phillips.

Since chloramines are not as reactive as chlorine with organic material in water, they produce substantially lower concentrations of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in distribution systems. Some disinfection by-products, such as trihalomethanes (THMs), may have adverse health effects at prolonged high levels. The EPA closely regulates these disinfection byproducts, and the results of monthly tests indicate that NTMWD water contains low amounts of DBPs that are well within the range that is considered safe by the EPA.

The Water Research Foundation, the nation's leading water research group, recognizes that periodic chlorine maintenance is a preventive measure to reduce the potential for nitrification (process by which ammonia is changed into nitrates by bacteria) which can occur in water distribution systems during warmer months. View the Chlorine Maintenance video.

Water Resource Recovery Facilities provide continuous wastewater treatment to meet water quality limits stated in the TCEQ issued permit prior to discharging into a body of water. These facilities are a critical element in maintaining the health of our watersheds and the public. NTMWD is voluntarily implementing a watershed protection plan to further safeguard the Lavon Lake watershed with increasing urbanization in the area. 

Currently, 700,000+ people are served in our northern service area by two existing facilities and projected growth will exceed the existing facilities serving Collin County in the very near future.

Protecting water resources and preserving the natural environment is a high priority. Similar NTMWD facilities operate in this same manner and discharged water is typically of higher quality than naturally existing water in creeks and streams. As our team determined the location of the facility and its outfall location, a site was selected to minimize impacts on area streams and Lavon Lake. The Sister Grove RWRRF facility is being built to maintain the natural surroundings at the outfall location.

As the project continues, NTMWD will:

• Meet or exceed all local, state, and federal environmental protection requirements from design through operations
• Engage and inform area communities throughout facility planning, construction, and operation
• Treat recovered water resources to high quality in compliance with TCEQ requirements
• Include advanced treatment and odor control technologies

NTMWD is building the new Sister Grove RWRRF to serve one of the fastest-growing areas in the country. As part of our commitment to being a good neighbor to our northern service area, the plant is centrally located within the 1,000-acre site, with additional screening of visible structures and facilities with landscaping and berms. The plant is also designed to mitigate and minimize local impacts to odor, noise, or light from the facility. 

Advanced treatment and odor control technologies will be implemented, and noise will be addressed through the use of sound enclosures or dedicated buildings around specific equipment and processes. 

The facility’s lighting plan will incorporate modern LED technology, specifically warm-white lighting, downward-facing fixtures, and motion-activated noncritical lighting, all aimed at minimizing the impact of lighting on the surrounding areas.

Disinfection of water is typically a two-step process. The first step is to inactivate or kill microorganisms, such as bacteria, parasites, and viruses during treatment. The second step makes sure water remains disinfected and safe for drinking as it travels long distances through pipes all the way to the tap. Most of the year, NTMWD disinfects its water using a combination of ozone and chlorine (first step) and then chloramine, which is the combination of ammonia and chlorine (second step).

Chlorine is the most widely used water disinfectant in the world. Only chlorine-based disinfectants (including chloramine) are approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the second step of water disinfection. According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) (PDF): "Treatment prior to distribution may utilize a number of different disinfectants, but a public water system is required to use either chlorine or chloramine in the distribution system."

EPA requires water treatment facilities to maintain a minimum chlorine level of 0.5 milligrams per liter (mg/l)-or parts per million (ppm)-during normal operations and a maximum running average 0.5 of 4 mg/l (or 4 ppm). These levels are safe for use or consumption.

No, we use it because in conjunction with ozone and chlorine, it is the most effective disinfectant for our large regional water system. It provides long-lasting disinfection benefits with minimal disinfection by-products. In many cases, the use of chloramines is more expensive because it requires the purchase and storage of more chemicals (ammonia). It also requires additional equipment, technology, and operations.

Chlorine reacts with and kills bacteria in the system, making them harmless to humans. However, the presence of some organic matter can remain in distribution systems. This is common to all public water distribution systems. It's not that different from bacteria on uncooked food. Once bacteria on the food is killed by high temperatures, it's harmless.

The EPA requires all water providers to disinfect water to protect public health. NTMWD uses proven, common, and highly effective methods to treat the lake water that is the source of its water. According to the Water Research Foundation, approximately 45% of the U.S. population is served by public water supplies disinfected with chloramine, the process NTMWD uses during normal operations.

NTMWD has been recognized for the superior performance of its treatment facilities in doing more than what is required to meet state and federal drinking water standards by the Texas Optimization Program (TOP) run by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The TCEQ has given NTMWD a “superior water system” rating. View more information on the TOP program.

Lake water naturally contains sediment, organic matter, and bacteria. The water goes through a proven, multi-step process to remove sediment and organic material, and eliminate bacteria and viruses. The process includes ozone, chlorine, filtering, and then adding ammonia to create monochloramine. Ozone is one of the most powerful means to treat and disinfect water.

Each spring for about one month, NTMWD temporarily changes the disinfectant used in the second step of water treatment. This is necessary to help maintain the system and high water quality year-round. During this time, ammonia is temporarily suspended and only chlorine is used to maintain water disinfection from the time it leaves the treatment plant as it travels long distances to the tap. Chlorine levels in the water are consistent with year-round operations. However, the discontinuation of ammonia can make the presence of chlorine more noticeable. Cities may help with this process by flushing water out of fire hydrants during this time, which helps move the chlorine through the system faster. The EPA estimates up to 40% of water providers who use chloramine conduct this process.

No, test results verified by the TCEQ show chlorine levels during the temporary change in disinfectant process are consistent with normal year-round operations.

No, it's actually a preventive measure that helps prevent bacteria from growing in pipes. According to the TCEQ (PDF), many utilities in areas with warmer climates throughout the state and country that use chloramines for their distribution conduct the same process. NTMWD has performed this routine process for over 10 years and maintained high water quality each year.

NTMWD does not plan to discontinue this safe and accepted practice. Discontinuing this process would require different and more costly operational practices in the distribution systems, such as increased fire hydrant flushing which would reduce available water supply and could impact our ability to meet water demand and provide adequate flows for fire-fighting in the summer months. In order to do this, we would need additional water supplies above and beyond those being planned.

It's important to do this before summer because hotter temperatures can increase the potential for bacterial growth in pipes. Moving the water through the system faster by flushing it through fire hydrants can help reduce chlorine odor and taste. Conducting this flushing of pipes in the spring also helps conserve valuable water by reducing the amount of flushing needed during the warm summer months when water demands increase due to irrigation.

It is our understanding that Dallas Water Utilities is able to maintain its system through a comprehensive flushing program. However, based on NTMWD's expansive system serving nearly 80 communities across North Texas, maintenance solely through flushing is not a viable or cost-effective option for our unique regional system.

NTMWD has a state-certified laboratory that analyzes over a quarter million water quality samples a year - hundreds of tests daily - to ensure water quality meets or surpasses safe water requirements. The District laboratory tests water in our system and provides testing services for Member Cities and Customer entities. Additionally, the TCEQ conducts independent tests in the NTMWD and city systems to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations. View the results on the Water Quality Reports page.

View the monthly and annual water quality reports. NTMWD will also post chlorine levels weekly during the temporary disinfectant change period and results from monthly testing for disinfection by-products.

NTMWD tests for the concentrations of chlorine at our treatment plants and at certain points in the transmission system every 15 minutes. We added even more sample locations in 2019. We also test once a week at the delivery points at which the cities we serve collect the water to pipe to their customers. All of this testing occurs year-round and is reported to the TCEQ. The cities we serve also sample and monitor the water that is distributed to their customers. Those tests are taken and measured daily in the field. Additionally, in 2018 during the temporary change in disinfectant period TCEQ collected 117 samples from 31 public water systems that deliver NTMWD water.

TCEQ conducts routine water sampling in the NTMWD and city systems through an independent laboratory to confirm water quality compliance with state and federal standards. The cities we serve also collect their own water samples, which are analyzed in NTMWD's state-certified laboratory and reported to TCEQ.

The EPA requires water treatment facilities to maintain a minimum chlorine level of 0.2 milligrams per liter (mg/l)-or parts 0.2 parts per million (ppm)-during the routine change in disinfectant, and levels must not exceed a maximum running average of 4 mg/l (or 4 ppm). NTMWD system's chlorine levels during the disinfection change period are consistent with the rest of the year. After the treated water leaves the plant, the chlorine begins to dissipate as it travels long distances to the tap.

TCEQ confirms that the District meets or surpasses all safe water requirements.

According to the TCEQ, "A normal level for drinking water disinfection can range from 1 part per million to 4 parts per million which is similar to chlorine levels found in swimming pools." However, pool test kits are not a reliable method to test drinking water. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), pool kits take inaccurate readings over time; do not provide reliable, quantitative results; and lack calibration and standardization. You can learn more from CDC.

The EPA regulates DBPs (Trihalomethanes or THMs and Haloacetic acids or HAA5) at levels that current research considers safe. The TCEQ tests quarterly in the cities we serve for the regulated DBPs to confirm compliance with EPA's regulations. NTMWD voluntarily began testing monthly for DBPs in late 2018. This testing is above and beyond what is required. Results show that NTMWD meets or surpasses the standards required for drinking water safety.

• Review water quality information and Consumer Confidence Reports on your city or local water utility website and contact them with any questions (agency who sends your water bill).
• View NTMWD water quality information, including monthly reports and the annual Consumer Confidence Report.
• Contact NTMWD to learn how the water is treated and distributed to your city (local provider) or call 972-442-5405.

If you wish to perform additional testing, use a state-certified laboratory to provide sampling instructions, containers, and ensure accurate results. You can find an accredited laboratory in Texas through TCEQ. Consumers should be cautious of and do research on any private companies offering free testing to sell products or services.

Pool test kits are not a reliable method to test drinking water. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), pool kits take inaccurate readings over time; do not provide reliable, quantitative results; and lack calibration and standardization. You can learn more from CDC.

Beware of claims from companies advocating filtration for water safety. NTMWD's water is safe to drink without filtration. Some filters can help dissipate chlorine odor, taste and skin sensitivities. Look for filters labeled with NSF International (NSF/ ANSI) approval. DrinkTap.org has some additional filter guidelines.

Landfill gas is formed when buried solid waste decomposes. This process creates gases, the most common of which are methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), which typically combine to make up more than 95% of the landfill gas. While these two gases are odorless, the unpleasant aromas are caused by the small percentage of other gases. The most common odors from the landfill are caused by hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Hydrogen sulfide is most commonly recognized as a strong "rotten egg" smell. The smell of volatile organics can vary but typically have a somewhat sweetly pungent smell.

We currently operate 310 collection wells to capture landfill gas before it leaves the landfill, and have two mobile odor management systems located in the vicinity of the active disposal area. This is significantly above and beyond standard industry best management practices. Collected gas is routed to an on-site facility that cleans it to pipeline quality natural gas where it is sold as renewable energy.

Every day, employees spread and compact the solid waste in the active area of the landfill as it arrives. At the end of each day, it is then covered with a minimum 6-inch thick layer of clean soil, or TCEQ-approved alternate daily cover. This cover helps to control the odor, prevent blowing litter around, prevent fires, and ward off scavenging animals.

Odor patrols assess the presence of odors from 16 different locations in Melissa each day the landfill operates. The landfill surface is walked and inspected for excessive release of landfill gas by a third party on a quarterly basis.

The migration of landfill gas depends on a variety of atmospheric conditions:

• Barometric Pressure/Rainfall
  On days when the barometric pressure is low or dropping, the gas pressure inside the landfill will be higher than the atmosphere. This causes the landfill gas to shift from the landfill to balance with the atmosphere. Barometric pressure drops are often associated with rainfall which is why odors may be noticeable before and after rainfall events.
• Temperatures
  During colder months, temperature inversions may occur where warm air is trapped above cold air closer to the ground. This slows the normal rise of gas causing concentrations closer to the ground thereby creating a stronger smell.
• Wind
  Wind helps spread any escaped gas and lessen their concentration, but days with little wind mean that odors may be more noticeable.
• Moon Phases
  Certain moon phases also contribute to gas migration, similar to the influence the lunar pull has on tides. The pull of a New Moon or Full Moon can make it easier for landfill gas to migrate from the landfill. On a cold, damp, cloudy, windless day with low barometric pressure, the landfill gas and its associated odors will be hardest to control.

Even when odors are strongest, the air’s circulation significantly reduces the concentration of the gas to levels far below any that could be harmful by the time the smell is noticeable.

Email Jerry Zumwalt, NTMWD Landfill Manager or call 972-626-4456 or 972-442-5405 for odor complaints so they may be investigated. This phone number is always staffed.

Sometimes described as earthy or organic, foul odors at treatment plants typically come from the decomposition of organic compounds. A natural by-product is hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which can give off the smell of rotten eggs.

The array of technologies available to help control odors has advanced significantly over the past few decades and NTMWD invests to minimize impact to our neighbors. We evaluate the potential odor sources and select technologies that provide efficient, reliable service for the application. Solutions include preventing release of odor from the wastewater into the air (liquid phase treatment) and collection and treatment of odorous air (vapor phase treatment).

Not all odors are the same and can vary in intensity. Some are faint, while others are much more pungent. Weather conditions can intensify odors and things like temperature, wind speed and direction can determine how far the odor drifts. Odors are typically worse at higher temperatures.

Even when odors are strongest, the air's circulation significantly reduces the concentration to levels far below any that could be harmful by the time the smell is noticeable.

Contact NTMWD at 469-626-4900 for odor complaints so they may be investigated. This phone number is always staffed.

A monofil is a site designated and limited to the disposal of one specific type of byproduct. The NTMWD Water Treatment Residuals Monofill (Monofill) will be used to dispose of water treatment residuals (WTR) from the District's water treatment process for producing drinking water.

The majority of the water treated at our Wylie Water Treatment Plant (WTP) comes from Lavon Lake. As one of the first steps in our treatment process to produce drinking water, particles such as silt and clay are removed using an iron coagulant to settle the particles in basins for collection. This sediment, settled particles, or WTR are then removed and dried for application to agricultural fields. The high iron content enhances plant health.

These WTR are considered safe and are currently beneficially land-applied for growing certain crops. The Monofill will be constructed with a protective, impervious liner to minimize seepage to protect the environment.

Testing occurs to determine nutrient components.

The facility will be designed to integrate into neighboring areas by using visual barriers such as green spaces, screening, tree plantings, and/or natural vegetation. The site will include a temporary WTR storage area, dewatering equipment housed inside a building, some heavy equipment, and the monofill disposal area.

Initially, after construction and operations begin, berms will be constructed from the excavation which could create some visual barriers. Over time, as the continued impoundment of WTR begins to accumulate, it will look like a mounded earthen area or a gently sloping hill. It is the District's intention that the dewatering facility be designed and constructed to have an appearance similar to local farming operations.

The site will have at least a 50-foot buffer with a fence near the perimeter of the property and public access to the site will be restricted by the fence and locked gate, as well as sign postings.

The odor of WTR is mild or earthy and similar to that of lake water. Since the odor is similar to existing lake water, we do not anticipate any odor concerns. However, if any odor issues arise, we would use proven technologies to address the odor.

Berms, stormwater channels, and stormwater ponds will be constructed to control stormwater runoff, and there will be a clay liner/impervious layer under the Monofill to prevent leaching.

NTMWD is looking to build and operate this Monofill to free up space on the Wylie Water Treatment Plant site for future expansion and other uses.

Currently, the WTRs are stored in lagoons at the Wylie WTP and periodically dried and removed for application across Collin County-area agricultural fields. A consolidated site would be more efficient for the disposal, storage, and possible future use of these WTRs.

The current plan is to send WTR to the site through a pipeline which will result in little to minimal additional traffic on nearby roads. With the pipeline, we do not anticipate any additional truck traffic associated with hauling WTR to the site.

If there is no pipeline constructed, the District would use trucks to transport WTR to the Monofill. Based on current volumes, we estimate there could be up to 50 trucks per day on average.

The current plan is as follows:

• TCEQ permitting process:  2021 – 2024
• Facility/site design:  2026 – 2030
• Construction:  2036 – 2040
• Site operational:  2040

Our goal is to be a good neighbor to those in and around the Monofill and the city of Josephine. You can email Jerry Allen, NTMWD Permitting Manager, or call 469-626-4634. You can also email NTMWD Project or NTMWD Public Relations.

Once the Monofill is operational, there will be staff onsite and contact information will be provided on our website.

NTMWD is a wholesale water provider and charges its cities and communities about one-third of a penny per gallon for safe drinking water. That covers paying to acquire the water, storage, transportation, treatment, and testing, and then delivering it to cities and water providers who in turn, pipe it to North Texas homes and businesses.

The cities and communities we serve establish the water rates they charge and bill their customers. They also have to pay for the facilities, pipes, and systems to store and distribute water to homes and businesses. Most cities set water rates in tiers based on water usage. The less water people use, the lower their rates. Homeowners who have large lawns and water frequently will usually pay a higher rate.

To understand how your community calculates its water rates, visit your provider's website. We have links to NTMWD Member Cities and Customers on our water system page.

Water delivered to a home or office is a service, not just a commodity. For every $1 we charge our member cities, about 15% covers the actual cost of water. That cost goes up and down, depending on how much water a community uses. The remaining 85% pays for fixed costs. These costs add up and do not change, no matter how much water a city uses.

Fixed costs include:

• Operating, maintaining, and expanding the pipes, pumps, motors, and facilities to capture, store, treat, and deliver water.
• Repairing aging and leaking pipes.
• Repaying bonds secured to finance new infrastructure and water sources to meet future needs.
• Meeting strict government regulations to keep water safe and protect the environment.
• Employing highly specialized technical experts required to do all this work.

One of the best ways to manage your water bill is to conserve water both indoors and outdoors. The most water savings are gained by only watering your yard when it needs it - which is usually no more than twice a week during hot summer months. This helps stretch our existing water supplies and may delay the need for new projects we must invest in. It also can make your monthly water bill more affordable. To help determine when and how much to water your yard, sign up for a free weekly watering recommendation at WaterMyYard.org.

The North Texas Municipal Water District does not use property taxes or any other form of general taxation as a revenue source. Its revenues are generated by the services it provides. NTMWD has contractual relationships with the cities served which allow the District to issue bonds to finance the development of projects needed to provide its services.

The State of Texas requires water providers to receive sufficient revenues from the cities they serve to pay their debt service, operations and maintenance costs. The cities must then charge a sufficient amount to cover both our wholesale costs and the costs of operating their own distribution systems. These contracts must be approved by the state Attorney General in order for water providers to issue bonds.

If a city consumes less water than its minimum annual demand, the NTMWD Board of Directors typically rebates the variable cost of operations for unused power (pumping) and chemicals (treatment). The NTMWD must still charge cities to cover annual fixed costs for maintaining the regional pipelines and facilities, constructing capital projects, and repaying debt, regardless of how much water is consumed.

The Associated Press recently reported that rising water costs are an issue facing providers nationwide, especially in drought-prone regions.

The NTMWD and all water utilities are challenged with increasing costs for maintaining and rehabilitating aging infrastructure, building pipelines and reservoirs for anticipated population growth, as well as implementing new technologies to comply with changing regulatory requirements. Additionally, large water projects take years - often decades - to complete the required environmental permitting, resulting in significant upfront investments before customers receive the benefit.

While water is essential, many experts believe it has been undervalued considering the systems needed to ensure water flows from our taps 24/7. The NTMWD operates and maintains the following key components of the regional water system which serves communities in several counties and covers 2,200 square miles:

• 6 water treatment plants - 806+ million gallons per day capacity
• 566 miles of transmission pipelines
• 9 raw water pump stations
• 8 treated water pump stations
• 77 City delivery points

Despite the complexity and scope of this system, a gallon of water from NTMWD costs our customers less than one-quarter of a penny. As our region continues to grow, the District is responsibly planning new projects to prepare for projections that the region is expected to double in population over the next 40 years.

Even with a continued focus on conservation programs to stretch existing supplies, NTMWD will need to have another major water source, the Bois d'Arc Lake (Bois d'Arc Lake) in Fannin County, online as early as 2020. The Bois d'Arc Lake will become part of the regional water system serving all of our North Texas customers. Thus, each of these communities will share in this investment.

Water has provided the essential foundation for communities in North Texas to grow over the last several decades. Cities in our region continue to make headlines for welcoming major new businesses, recognized as among the healthiest housing markets, and consistently ranking as some of the best places to live in America. A reliable water supply is critical to meet the needs of current and future generations of residents, as well as to support businesses, jobs, and economic prosperity in our region. Based on population growth projections, NTMWD water demands will increase 1.5 times over the next 40 years.

Collin County recently updated its population growth projections to include 1.3 million more residents than previous estimates. On top of future growth, the last several years of drought and required watering restrictions may have masked the full effects of recent growth on water demands.

The NTMWD appreciates the commitment of all the cities and residents in north Texas to conserve water during recent years of drought. The efforts were vital to help stretch existing supplies. Without these measures, our reservoirs would have been even more severely depleted.

Fortunately, record rainfall last May refilled our reservoirs - averting prolonged water shortages in our region. However, conservation remains a key component of meeting our future water needs. We must continue to use water wisely, especially in landscapes where a large percentage of water is consumed.

The combination of watering restrictions over the last several years followed by significant spring rains means the region has consumed less water than normal. Reduced consumption has presented significant challenges for the cities and communities we serve as they must cover ongoing fixed costs while collecting fewer revenues.

Once residents resumed "normal" post-drought watering schedules (with little to no restrictions in place), water consumption increased dramatically from July through October 2015. This demonstrates that our water customers still require the system capacity to meet higher water demands when needed. The NTMWD must build and maintain the system to meet those highest potential needs.

Without outdoor watering restrictions in place, the total regional consumption from July through September 2015 was similar to pre-drought demands in 2011 as residents returned to more frequent outdoor watering patterns. The NTMWD has the responsibility to make sure the infrastructure and system is prepared to meet those peak demands today and in the future, especially since North Texas is among some of the fastest-growing regions in the nation.

The NTMWD must collect enough revenue to cover the regional water system fixed costs of the pipes and facilities that have been constructed to meet the highest potential water demands. Fixed costs include the repayment of bonds that have funded past projects and debt service on new projects. Other fixed costs are from ongoing operations, maintenance, and rehabilitation of the system to maintain reliability and comply with environmental regulations.

Eleven of our municipal customers signed one water supply contract when it was last amended in 1988 - two cities signed similar contracts when they joined the District later - Allen (1998) and Frisco (2001). The contract is structured so that each city pays for its allocation of the costs for the entire regional water system based on its year of highest annual usage. This is a common cost allocation method to determine proportionate cost-sharing among regional users of a water or energy system. By cost-sharing with fellow customers rather than each city building its own separate infrastructure and systems, each city has saved significantly over the last several decades.

The NTMWD has built (and issued bonds for) the infrastructure costs to meet the cities' historic peak demands and must collect enough revenue to make the bond payments and cover ongoing maintenance costs for those pipelines and systems, regardless of the amount of water used. If any of the individual cities had issued bonds independently to build their own system, they would have to repay that debt regardless of today's customer usage.

For fiscal year 2015 to 2016, the NTMWD wholesale water rate for the cities we serve is $2.29 per 1,000 gallons of treated water. This rate is made up of two components:

1. $1.88 per 1,000 gallons funds the fixed/capital costs (infrastructure), and
2. $0.41 cents per thousand gallons for the actual amount of water consumed.

Each city then determines its own end-user rates for residential, commercial, and industrial customers to cover the NTMWD wholesale water costs plus the city's own system and operating costs - typically setting different rates based on tiers or levels of usage so that consumers using higher amounts pay a higher rate.

The "take or pay" term used to describe the water supply contract means that the cities pay the fixed costs component of the wholesale water rate based on the highest year of consumption, even if in subsequent years they don't reach that same level of water use. This ensures the fixed system costs are covered regardless of the amount of water used. The cities and their customers receive an annual rebate for the variable costs, such as chemicals and power not used for treatment and delivery, based on each city's actual consumption for that year.

Cities don't pay for "unused" water - they pay an allocation of the regional water infrastructure and system costs based on the maximum amount of potential capacity each city needs. The cities and their customers are paying for water service, not just the water molecules that are delivered.

With watering restrictions and conservation resulting in reduced revenues to cover fixed costs, some Member Cities have questioned the structure of the water supply contract and are interested in exploring alternate methods for allocating the regional system costs across all participating cities and customers.

Because all 13 participating cities signed the current water supply contract, it will take all 13 to discuss and agree to any changes. Previous analysis and studies related to adjusting a city's annual commitment to water system capacity have shown that lowering one city's percentage would increase the proportionate share of costs for other participating cities.

The NTMWD supports participating cities coming together to discuss alternatives to the current water supply contract and is open to considering a change with agreement and support from the cities.

If a city consumes less water than its minimum annual demand, the NTMWD Board of Directors typically rebates the variable cost of operations for unused power (pumping) and chemicals (treatment). The NTMWD must still charge cities to cover annual fixed costs for maintaining the regional pipelines and facilities, constructing capital projects, and repaying debt, regardless of how much water is consumed.

PFAS are widely used, long-lasting chemicals that break down slowly over time. There are thousands of PFAS compounds that are used in many different consumer, commercial, and industrial products. Because of their widespread use, PFAS have been found in the environment throughout the world.

PFAS are commonly found in every American household and in products as diverse as nonstick cookware, stain-resistant furniture and carpets, wrinkle-free and water-repellant clothing, cosmetics, lubricants, paint, pizza boxes, popcorn bags, and many other everyday products. The EPA indicates that most people are exposed to these chemicals through consumer products, while some are also exposed to PFAS in air, soil, and water.

Since 2013, the EPA has required public water systems that serve over 10,000 people, as well as certain randomly selected smaller public water systems, to test for PFAS through the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) program.

In 2021, the EPA released a strategic roadmap for addressing PFAS. The roadmap includes timelines and specific actions related to PFAS research, restrictions, and remediation. One key component of this roadmap is the development of regulatory drinking water standards for PFAS.

The EPA released draft criteria for PFAS drinking water standards on March 14, 2023. Final drinking water regulations were announced on April 10, 2024 which include Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLG) as well as enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level (MCLs). The EPA has indicated that it is considering additional regulations in the future to address PFAS in solid waste and wastewater systems.

The following table depicts the recently approved enforceable levels for six PFAS, which include individual MCLs for five (5) PFAS compounds and a Hazard Index MCL for mixtures of four (4) PFAS compounds. With these new regulations, public water systems will be required to monitor for these PFAS compounds in drinking water and take steps to ensure average concentrations of these PFAS in drinking water remain below these MCLs.

According to the United States Geological Survey, at least 45 percent of the nation’s tap water is estimated to have one or more types of PFAS. In North Texas, PFAS have been detected in some municipal water systems through the EPA’s Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5) testing program.

At NTMWD, we’re monitoring the UCMR 5 testing results from the municipal water systems we serve. While the levels of PFAS in most testing results have been below the proposed regulatory limits for drinking water, a few UCMR 5 test results in our service area have shown levels of PFAS slightly above the proposed limits. Additional testing and analysis will be required to understand the potential presence and impact of PFAS in our service area.

The EPA’s regulations focus on the potential health effects from long-term exposure to PFAS. Compliance with the drinking water standards will be based on running annual averages of test results, not single test results. Single test results can be outliers.

In addition, testing for PFAS is a complex process. PFAS sampling tests require detection at minute levels (parts per trillion) compared to other water quality tests (parts per million or billion). The testing process is incredibly sensitive and requires stringent protocols to avoid sample contamination.

Weather conditions may also play a role in the concentration of PFAS in our environment. For example, during a drought, when less water moves through our watersheds, the concentration of PFAS might increase. Long-term testing trends will be vital in understanding the potential presence and impact of PFAS in our service area.

Public health is our top priority, and we will continue to ensure our water quality meets or exceeds federal and state drinking water standards. This is a rapidly evolving situation, and NTMWD has been closely following the development of EPA regulations and UCMR 5 testing to inform our approach. Initial UCMR 5 data indicate action may be required at our Tawakoni Water Treatment Plant. This small plant treats raw water from Lake Tawakoni and serves the southern portion of our water system.

As part of our path forward to ensure regulatory compliance, we are conducting a holistic evaluation of our water, wastewater, and solid waste systems to guide decisions and investments for PFAS management and regulatory compliance within the next five to 10 years.

We’re still evaluating whether changes to our water treatment process will be needed to ensure NTMWD’s compliance with EPA’s upcoming PFAS drinking water standards. As part of our planning process, we’re assessing potential costs associated with new treatment technologies and strategies that have been shown to be effective in removing different types of PFAS from drinking water. Those technologies can be expensive and difficult to implement on a large scale.

Some cost estimates for PFAS removal exist at a national level, but they vary greatly. The EPA estimates total annual costs for removing PFAS from the nation’s water supply could be approximately $1.5 billion per year, while the American Water Works Association estimates annual operating costs could exceed $3.8 billion.

NTWMD is working closely with communities in our service area as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s UCMR5 testing program. Sample collection under UCMR 5 is being conducted from January 2023 through December 2025. The EPA posts data results quarterly on its website, and data for some cities in NTMWD’s service area have already been released.

The EPA defines timing requirements for communities participating in the UCMR 5 program. Testing results from your community may be forthcoming as part of the UCMR 5 testing that’s ongoing through 2025, so please continue to monitor the EPA’s website for updates.

The EPA and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) are responsible for establishing health- and science-based regulations for water quality, wastewater, and solid waste, and NTMWD relies on those agencies to provide guidance of acceptable levels of PFAS and other chemicals in our systems. With the release of the final regulations, NTMWD must meet or exceed those minimum regulatory standards within the given timeframes established by the EPA.

The two types of PFAS of particular interest to the EPA are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). The EPA indicates that most uses of PFOA and PFOS were voluntarily phased out by U.S. manufacturers in the mid-2000s. However, these compounds can remain in the environment for many years due to their persistence and resistance to degradation.

The final drinking water regulations announced on April 10, 2024 include individual MCLs for five (5) PFAS compounds (PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA and HFOP-DA) and a Hazard Index MCL for mixtures of four (4) PFAS compounds (PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and PFBS). Some of these chemicals are considered to be replacements for PFOA and PFOS in manufacturing processes. More information on PFAS compounds and their uses can be found on the EPA’s website.

Pretreatment involves treating industrial process wastewater to reduce, alter, or eliminate pollutants prior to discharge into the sanitary sewer system and ultimately a wastewater treatment plant. This can be achieved by a physical process (e.g. filtration, dissolved air flotation, or sedimentation), chemical process (e.g. chemical substitutions, precipitation, or neutralization), or biological process (e.g. aerobic digestion).  

North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) provides wholesale wastewater services to 24 communities and more than 1.5 million residents in our North Texas service area. Wastewater enters the various municipal sewer collection systems before entering our NTMWD wastewater conveyance system. The NTMWD wastewater conveyance system consists of more than 237 miles of large-diameter pipelines, 23 lift stations, and 13 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), also known as publicly-owned treatment works or POTWs. These facilities convey and treat approximately 163 million gallons of wastewater daily. Once through the advanced WWTP treatment process, the cleaned water meets or surpasses all regulatory requirements and is released back into our waterways to blend with larger water supply sources in the State.

The NTMWD Industrial Pretreatment Program is mandated by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, commonly referred to as the Clean Water Act, to prevent the introduction of pollutants into a wastewater treatment plant that will interfere with its operation by inhibiting or disrupting the treatment processes or that will pass through the treatment plant into waters of the United States, thus negatively impacting water quality. It was also established to help protect the health and safety of the public, environment, and wastewater system workers. Federal regulations governing the pretreatment program can be found in 40 CFR Part 403. The NTMWD Pretreatment team, in partnership with city counterparts, manages eight TCEQ-approved pretreatment programs covering nine wastewater treatment plants and more than 20 cities, including our contract with the City of Terrell to manage its pretreatment program. 

Specific prohibitions are found in each city’s sewer use ordinance. The following pollutants shall not be introduced into a wastewater treatment plant:

• Pollutants that cause pass through or treatment inhibition;
• Pollutants which create a fire or explosion hazard in the POTW;
• Pollutants which will cause corrosive structural damage to the POTW, but in no case discharges with pH lower than 5.0;
• Solid or viscous pollutants, such as oil and grease, in amounts which will cause obstruction to flow in the POTW resulting in interference;
• Any pollutant, including oxygen demanding pollutants such as BOD or COD released in a discharge at a flow rate and/or pollutant concentration which will cause interference with the POTW (also known as high-strength wastes);
• Excessive heat in amounts which will inhibit biological activity in the POTW resulting in interference;
• Petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oil, or products of mineral oil origin in amounts that will cause interference or pass through;
• Pollutants which result in the presence of toxic gases, vapors, or fumes within the POTW in a quantity that may cause acute worker health and safety problems; and,
• Any trucked or hauled pollutants, except at discharge points designated by the POTW.

All non-domestic users that discharge to the municipal sewer system must comply with the sewer use ordinance of the city where the industrial facility is located, however, only Significant Industrial Users (SIUs) are required to obtain an Industrial User permit.

Significant Industrial Users are:

• All Industrial Users subject to categorical industrial user requirements under 40 CFR 403.6 and 40 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter N, even if they do not discharge categorical process wastewater; or,
• Any other Industrial User that: 
  • discharges an average of 25,000 gallons per day or more of process wastewater to the POTW (excluding sanitary, noncontact cooling, and boiler blowdown wastewater);
  • contributes a process wastestream which makes up 5 percent or more of the average dry weather hydraulic or organic capacity of the POTW Treatment plant; or,
• Is designated as such by the City or NTMWD given the Industrial User has reasonable potential for adversely affecting the POTW's operation or for violating any Pretreatment Standard or requirement in accordance with 40 CFR 403.8(f)(6).

A permit application should be submitted if:

• You are a Significant Industrial User based on the definition above; or,
• You discharge high-strength wastewater containing biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), ammonia, etc. 

You may also contact our Pretreatment team at pretreatment.info@ntmwd.com prior to completing the application to discuss further.  See pretreatment requirements for additional information.

No. Sometimes, the only way to determine if your business will require an Industrial User permit is to review all information requested in the permit application.

Local limits represent the maximum discharge quantity allowed for each pollutant.  Some of our WWTPs have the ability to transfer flows to other WWTPs, and therefore the more stringent WWTP limit is applied in the industrial user permit. Some categorical industrial users may have additional or stricter limits as developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The NTMWD builds close working relationships with cities and industries by encouraging frequent communication to achieve mutually beneficial economic and environmental goals; however, industries that violate requirements of the federal regulations or industrial user permit will be subject to enforcement action. The NTMWD follows an enforcement response plan with escalating levels of enforcement based on the severity of noncompliance. The enforcement response plan helps to ensure consistent enforcement for similar violations. Enforcement actions can range from a phone call to monetary fines to sewer or water service termination.