Preparing for a Freeze

What is a Hard Freeze?

A hard freeze is a temperature under 30° for over eight hours. When water freezes, it expands. When the freeze ends, the result can be broken pipes, no water, a big repair bill and the cost for the lost water. Those are not the only expenses and source of aggravation. You may also have to replace carpet, flooring, sheetrock, furniture, and other possessions. Those are the immediate issues, but there can be latent damage as well. With galvanized pipe, the pipe may not burst, but expansion can occur separating the galvanizing from the pipe and creating an area for corrosion to start and ultimately create leaks.

During Winter Storm Uri, one of the more vulnerable spots for leaks and bursts were the irrigation systems on residential homes. Below are some basic tips as well as pictures and instructions for irrigation backflow preventors; additionally, residents are always encouraged to consult with a irrigation specialist or plumber.

The irrigation shut off valves and backflow device are one of the common issues that most residents deal with during an extended freeze.

  1. Turn off the shut-off valve. Most residential devices have two shut-off valves. These are typically covered in blue on the valve handles and located before and after the back flow device.
  2. Release the water pressure, with a screwdriver release the water from the bleeder valves. The bleeder valves are usually located under the top of the backflow device. If the water does not stop flowing, you may have not shut the valves off completely.
  3. Leave the smaller bleeder valve open, this will let the any remaining water in the line expand without breaking the device.
  4. Insulate your backflow device. Most hardware / home services stores carry backflow insulating supplies.

Attached are pictures of the actual device and insulation covers for backflow devices and faucets.

People

  • Avoid going outside if it is not necessary. If you do, make sure you layer up from head to toe.
  • To keep you and your family safe, it is imperative your home is warm.
  • Make sure your heat is set to an appropriate temperature to make your entire home comfortable. Remember, heat rises so if you sleep upstairs, your room may be warmer than rooms downstairs.
  • Never use your stove or oven to heat your home.
  • If you smell smoke or see flames, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Pets

  • While protecting your family, it is imperative to protect your pets as well.
  • Pets, like humans, are vulnerable to cold temperatures. If not taken care of properly, they can succumb to frostbite and even hypothermia.
  • If you have a dog that typically lives outdoors, consider letting them inside when temperatures drop to freezing. While their fur does help to keep them warm, it provides little help in freezing temperatures.
  • If you absolutely cannot bring them inside, make sure they have a warm shelter, plenty of food and fresh water so it does not freeze.
  • If your pet looks like it has any symptoms resembling frostbite or hypothermia, call your vet.

Pipes

  • All garden hoses should be disconnected from outside spigots.
  • Make sure to cover all your exposed pipes with a cover. You can also cover your pipes with towels, duct tape or another adhesive strip as long as they are wrapped tightly.
  • Let your faucets drip throughout the day to keep them from freezing.
  • You should also open up the cabinets to let warm air circulate throughout your home. Just make sure any harmful chemicals are out of reach for children and pets.

Plants

  • When cold weather hits, it’s a good idea to bring in all of your outdoor plants.
  • If you can’t bring in the plant, cover it with a blanket to make sure they do not die.

Additionally, there are a few vehicle-safety tips to observe during winter weather:

  • Keep vehicle gas tanks full
  • Have tire pressures checked
  • Keep a phone charger, first aid kit, blankets, and jumper cables in personal vehicles
  • Check local road conditions at www.houstontranstar.org. State highway information is also available at www.drivetexas.org.

Lastly, here are some safety tips recommended by local Fire Departments regarding space heaters and other supplemental heating sources:

  • If you use a space heater, make sure to keep it away from anything that may be flammable including curtains, indoor plants, bedding, etc. Also, do not keep it running overnight and do not
    keep it running in an unoccupied room. Always turn off space heaters when leaving the room and/or going to sleep
  • Do not power space heaters with extension cords or power strips; do not use power strips or extension cords as an alternative for permanent wiring
  • Never leave a space heater unattended, or a child unattended with a space heater
  • Keep all combustible materials (and people) at least three (3) feet away from space heaters
  • If you use a fireplace, make sure you have a screen to catch any embers that might escape or a rolling log.
  • Never overload outlets or breakers

Share these tips to neighborhood social media outlets; Facebook, Nextdoor, and Twitter shares can help neighbors see these tips before the holiday weekend. Stay safe and warm!

Is Your AUTOPAY Information Up-to-Date?

Municipal Operations & Consulting (your water company) is using a new water & sewer utility billing software.

Please contact them for your new account number!

Automatic Draft, Payment Online or By Phone: (online bill pay, ACH, re-occurring credit card)

  • To pay online or by phone: please visit www.municipalops.com to set up a new online account or call our automated IVR system at 346-439-7222.
  • For Online Bank Payments: make sure to update payment information at your bank to your new account number. It is critical to ensure proper posting of your payment.
  • For Automatic ACH service or re-occurring credit card payment: please visit www.municipalops.com to set up a new online account.

Municipal Operations & Consulting
(281) 367-5511
www.municipalops.com

New Utility Billing Software

ATTENTION CUSTOMERS!

As the Operators for Faulkey Gully MUD, Municipal Operations & Consulting, Inc., we are pleased to announce the transition of our water & sewer utility billing software.

Your account number will change with this software transition. Your new account number will be available after 9/1/22. Please look for an email after this date that will allow you to confirm and set up access to your new customer portal. If you do not receive an email, you can request your new account number by emailing us at general@municipalops.com or calling our office at (281) 367-5511.

If you plan to drop off or mail in payment, you may submit using the current payment coupon at the bottom of your invoice.

Action is required for customers that pay online, by phone, or by automatic draft. Please see additional information, below.

Payment drop-off locations: (cash, check, and money orders)

Spring Location

27316 Spectrum Way, Oak Ridge North, Texas 77385

Katy Location

1825 North Mason Road Katy, Texas 77449

Mail all payment to: (check and money orders)

Faulkey Gully MUD
20141 Schiel Road, Cypress, Texas 77433

Automatic Draft, Payment Online or By Phone: (online bill pay, ACH, re-occurring credit card)

  • To pay online or by phone: please visit www.municipalops.com, after 9/1/22, to set up a new online account or call our automated IVR system at 346-439-7222.
  • For Online Bank Payments: make sure to update payment information at your bank to your new account number. It is critical to ensure proper posting of your payment.
  • For Automatic ACH service or re-occurring credit card payment: please visit www.municipalops.com, after 9/1/22, to set up a new online account.

Voluntary Water Restrictions in Place

Stage 1 of the district’s drought contingency plan has been triggered.  Please limit irrigation and lawn watering to the times and days indicated below.

  • Sundays and Thursdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6 or 8)
  • Saturdays and Wednesdays for water customers with a street address ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9)

Irrigate landscapes only between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.mon designated watering days.

https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?TX to learn more.

Maintenance of Cypress Creek Tributaries

The Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) project: Major Maintenance of Cypress Creek Tributaries has begun near Guernsey Drive and North Eldridge Parkway.

This is part of an ongoing project with multiple crews, all working on various channels simultaneously.

A more complete project description is available at:

https://www.hcfcd.org/Community/Press-Room?post=Major+Maintenance+of+Cypress+Creek+and+its+Tributaries+Construction+Advisory

Their estimated timeline can be found here:

https://www.hcfcd.org/Activity/Active-Projects/Cypress-Creek/CI-012-Major-Maintenance-of-Cypress-Creek-and-Tributaries

Winterize Your Home Before a Freeze

Before a freeze, the District wants to provide helpful instructions to protect your pipes if the weather predictions are for a Hard Freeze.

According to the National Weather Service, a Hard Freeze occurs when the temperature reaches 28 degrees, or lower, for at least a few hours.

There are a number of ways to protect the pipes in your home, but the graphics below give instructions on how to drain the internal plumbing, and how to winterize and drain your irrigation system.

Additional instructions to protect your pipes are:

  1. Unhook any outdoor water hoses attached to your faucets.
  2. Wrap outdoor pipes and faucets with foam, rags, or other insulating material. To keep the insulation in place, secure it with string, wire, or tape.
  3. Install insulation or covers over outside water faucets.
  4. Open cabinet doors under your sinks to provide warm air circulation.
  5. Circulate water in your home by allowing at least one sink to drip.
  6. Keep the temperature of your home above 55 degrees.

How to Avoid a Sewer Back-Up

The sewer collection system operates through an open gravity system, which means that the sewer pipes are installed with a slope or inclination towards the treatment plant or the lift stations.

There are no pumps to move the sewer wastewater from the houses to the treatment facilities.

What causes sewer back-ups?

Many factors can interrupt the normal sewer flow inside and outside the houses. The most common are items put into the sewer system other than water and human waste, such as:

Grease, baby wipes, rags, paper (other than toilet paper). These items cannot be broken down in the pipes and can build up enough overtime to stop the flow and create a back-up.

Grease is the most common and frequent cause found when clearing the obstructions. Grease must be disposed of in the trash, not in the sink.

Many homeowners believe that by pouring hot water down the drain for an extended time, the grease will dissolve, however this is untrue.

The hot water simply moves the grease a little further in the house lines and ultimately causes a build-up in the pipes.

Please avoid these costly repairs and potential health hazards by disposing all of these items in the trash.

 

Cleaning and Televising Inspection Project

In mid January of 2022, Faulkey Gully MUD will begin a five phase cleaning and televising inspection project of all sanitary sewer lines within the District. The goal of this project is to identify any deficiencies in the District’s sanitary sewer system, and later rehabilitate aging infrastructure as necessary. Sanitary sewer cleaning and televising is performed by water-jetting the main sanitary sewer pipes, and running a camera through to investigate the condition of the pipe.

Access to the pipes is gained via manholes, which are located in front or back yard easements. Each phase will take approximately 60-90 days to complete.

The Phase 1 Cleaning and Televising Contract was recently awarded to Aims Companies. The residents within the Phase 1 project area will receive door hangers from the Contractor between 3 and 14 days prior to work commencing within 200 feet of their property. This project should not disrupt normal water and sanitary sewer service.

Streets Scheduled for Phase I (PDF)