Superior Water Service and Facts about Water Quality

The North Texas Municipal Water District has been providing safe, high quality water for the North Texas region for over sixty years. Everyone at NTMWD continues to be committed to meeting or exceeding all drinking water safety and quality standards. It’s our top priority and it’s personal. Our employees, families, neighbors and friends drink and use our water every day.

Safe Water
The water treatment process is extremely complex and one of the most tightly regulated industries for a reason – to protect public health. Disinfection is a critical part of water treatment to keep water safe as it travels through miles of pipelines to homes and businesses. Each spring for about 28 days, we temporarily change one step in our treatment process to help maintain the system and provide high quality year-round. We have done this maintenance for over ten years, and good water quality that meets or surpasses health standards has always been maintained. This year, the temporary change in disinfectant maintenance period is scheduled for March 4 – April 1.

Water Quality Facts
Chlorine levels are consistent with year-round operations. While some may not notice the change, we recognize others may note the smell or taste of chlorine during the maintenance period. The water remains safe to drink and use, and we want our consumers to know the facts about our water treatment process. In response to questions raised by people living in our communities, we worked in close coordination with Member Cities and Customers to develop new resources and informational materials about the annual one-month change in disinfectant – from chloramine to free chlorine.

We have posted fact sheets, frequently asked questions, infographics, videos, and guidelines for questions about water quality. These online resources, including additional test reporting, are intended to better inform and address concerns for those we serve. NTMWD also recommends that customers review the water quality information posted on their city or utility websites.

Testing & Accessible Data
Tests conducted by both NTMWD and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) confirm that NTMWD has maintained high water quality each year during its annual disinfectant change. Public concerns about water quality in last year were thoroughly evaluated by TCEQ. Independent testing by TCEQ, compiled in a May 2018 report, confirmed water quality met regulatory standards and “would not be expected to cause short- or long-term adverse health effects.” NTMWD has earned recognition from TCEQ as a Superior Public Water System.

NTMWD conducts over 250,000 tests annually in a state-certified laboratory to ensure drinking water safety. In addition to online monthly and annual water quality reports, this year we will post daily and weekly chlorine levels during the maintenance period, as well as results of additional monthly testing for Disinfection By Products (DBPs), including during the annual system maintenance. This additional testing goes above and beyond the state and federal standards and the public can view the results at www.ntmwd.com/water-testing. The TCEQ also conducts over 300 annual tests on NTMWD water in city distribution systems through an independent laboratory to confirm water quality compliance with state and federal standards.

For more information, visit www.NTMWD.com/safewater and the TCEQ at www.tceq.texas.gov/drinkingwater/disinfection/temporary-free-chlorine-conversion.