Lakes of Northpointe Residents,

Thank you again for your continued patience with the water quality issues many of you have experienced this year. Please be advised that your water has been, and continues to be, safe to drink. We understand it can be unsettling to see water that looks, smells, or feels different from what you are used to, but this does not mean the water is unsafe to drink.

Please continue to report water quality issues to our operator, Municipal District Services, by calling 281-290-6500 or visiting www.mdswater.com/report-a-problem. Reporting water quality problems as they are detected gives them a chance to see or smell what you are experiencing.

We have made improvements in balancing the water supply and as a result have seen a sharp drop in complaints related to discolored water. Unfortunately, we have seen a spike in complaints related to odor, usually rotten eggs or sulfur, since the beginning of October. We believe this is primarily due to inconsistent quality of the surface water supply feeding the plants that push water to the homes in Lakes of Northpointe. Coordination with the Regional Water Authority is ongoing and they have acknowledged operational issues causing problems with the quality of the water supply.

While we believe the current problem of rotten eggs or sulfur odor in the water is primarily attributable to the surface water supply, there could also be other contributing factors, such as growth of sulfur bacteria in hot water heaters, whole home water filtration systems, water softeners, or internal plumbing. Our operator, MDS, is partnering with select residents in Lakes of Northpointe to sample water from private internal faucets and compare the results to what we’re seeing in the public distribution system.

In the meantime, please consider the following for residents experiencing sulfur or rotten egg odor issues with their water:

  • Do you have a whole home water filtration system? If yes, disconnect or bypass the filtration system. If the odor becomes less noticeable, the problem may be with the filter or media. Consider having it cleaned or replaced.
  • Do you have a water softener or conditioner? If yes, consider disconnecting it or bypassing it. Water softeners are primarily used on hard (aka mineral heavy) groundwater and may have been useful when the district was supplying groundwater. Now that you are receiving surface water, softeners can exacerbate water quality problems.
  • Is the odor coming from both the hot and cold water faucets? If the odor is present in hot water but absent from cold water, the problem is likely coming from your hot water heater. Consider contacting a plumber to clean and flush your hot water heater.
  • Is the odor only coming from water in certain rooms of your house but not others? This could indicate a problem with the aeration screen at the faucet, a blockage in air ventilation, or problems with your internal plumbing. Consider contacting a plumber to assist.
  • Does the odor become less noticeable or absent after running your faucet for a few minutes? If yes, there could be a problem with your internal plumbing. Consider contacting a plumber to assist.
  • If you are still experiencing odor problems after considering the above questions, please contact our operator, MDS, to alert them you are having water quality problems. Be sure to describe any actions you’ve taken and provide specific details about the odor you are experiencing.

Please note that if the water quality problems you are experiencing are related to a more slimy than usual feel to the water or an earthy/musty/dirt type of smell to the water, this may be related to the change in water supply from groundwater to surface water as these characteristics are generally associated with surface water. Please see the following link from the City of Houston regarding their water supply. Northwest Harris County MUD 5 receives water from the same source and we have taken samples from the water system to confirm if the same constituents are present. www.houstonpublicworks.org/houston-water-safe-to-drink

Please continue to report water quality issues to our operator, Municipal District Services, by calling 281-290-6500 or visiting www.mdswater.com/report-a-problem. Reporting water quality problems directly to MDS will lead to the quickest response. As always, the District is also available to receive concerns at board@nwmud5.com.

Thank you again for your patience and rest assured that we are actively working to solve the water quality problems you are experiencing.

-Northwest Harris County MUD No. 5