Freeze Alert

Clovercreek MUD would like to advise residents of potential winter weather and cold conditions coming Saturday evening (1/24) and continuing to Monday evening (1/26) as the forecasted cold front moves into our area in the latter part of the week. While meteorologists are still uncertain regarding how cold it will get, there is the potential for a hard freeze in all non-costal locations.

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.

 

 

As stated above, with temperatures expected to drop below freezing, it is a good time to refresh on the four P’s: People, Pets, Pipes, and Plants.

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 weekend. Stay safe and warm!

Successful Startup of the Remote Water Well at Clovercreek MUD

The start up of the remote water well was on Friday morning in Clovercreek MUD. The contractor, plant operator and I (and others) were there to witness the results of the start-up. Everything went well with the new motor and the electronic testing.

At this point, we are only waiting on passing Bac-T’s water test results. These should come in either tomorrow or Wednesday. Once we have good water tests, the well will be put into operation for the residents of Clovercreek. This is good news.

Navigating Post-Hurricane Cleanup: Ensuring Sanitary Conditions in Our Community

Message from GFL Environmental:

In the wake of the hurricane and the large amounts of debris left from it’s path, it would be impossible for us to provide normal collection and be able to service all residents in your area.

By prioritizing and ensuring that ALL regular household garbage is collected each day and this weekend, we are preventing unsanitary conditions from happening in our neighborhoods.

This means we have suspended bulk and recycle collection for the next week of July 15th. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to get back to normal.

Progress Update on Clovercreek MUD’s New Water Well: Scheduled Operations

Work continues on Clovercreek MUD’s new water well at the southeast corner of the intersection of Cloverleaf Drive and Forest Hill Drive. The contractor is currently ahead of schedule, and the well is expected to be completed by August 2024, instead of October.

The big drilling rig has been moved out and, with that, most of the 24-hour operations have been completed. A smaller well development rig has taken its place.

Well development is currently underway. Those activities will take place between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM.

The next, and last, 24-hour operation is scheduled for a 4-day period in the middle of March. The current schedule is for 3/13/2024 to 3/17/2024, but the exact date depends on how quickly well development goes.

After that, work will return to standard 7 AM-to-7 PM operations. The sound walls will remain up throughout the project.

Preparing for the Freeze: TNG Utility Corp’s Guide to Weathering the Cold Front

TNG Utility Corp. Would like to advise residents of potential winter weather and cold conditions coming Saturday evening (1/13) and continuing to Tuesday morning (1/16) as the forecasted cold front moves into our area. While meteorologists are still uncertain regarding how cold it will get, there is the potential for a hard freeze in all non-costal locations.

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.

Below are some basic tips as well as pictures and instructions for irrigation backflow preventors; additionally, residents are always encouraged to consult with an 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.

As stated above, with temperatures expected to drop below freezing, it is a good time to refresh on the four P’s: People, Pets, Pipes, and Plants.

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.

Progress Update on Clovercreek MUD’s New Water Well: Navigating Construction, Sound Mitigation, and Scheduled Operations

Clovercreek MUD is in the process of constructing a 250 gallon per minute Water Well at the South-East corner of the intersection of Cloverleaf Drive and Forest Hill Drive. Construction is expected to be completed by October of 2024.

Please note that some well development tasks require 24-hour tests. For that reason, we are planning on installing a sound wall around the perimeter of the site which will reduce the noise generated from such activities.

Currently the contractor is collecting water samples from the test hole. Water sampling is expected to be completed by the Friday before Christmas, 12/22/23. After that, the contractor will move off site for a month while we wait for lab results. Water well construction operations are expected to resume on 1/23/24.

By then, we will have a sound wall installed around the perimeter of the site. Please note that construction activities that do NOT require 24-hour testing are restricted to Monday thru Saturday, 7:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. We will provide another construction schedule update by end of January 2024.