City of Galena Park

Quality First: We are pleased to present our annual municipal water quality report. Our utility remains committed to delivering the highest-quality tap water possible to our community. We continue to meet the challenges of new regulations, source water protection, conservation initiatives, and community education while serving the needs of all our water users.

Thank you for allowing us to serve you. We value your input on the information in this report—well-informed customers are our greatest allies.

Understanding What's In Your Water

To ensure tap water safety, the EPA establishes regulations limiting contaminant levels in public water systems. FDA rules set similar limits for bottled water. All water sources (tap and bottled) may reasonably contain at least small amounts of some contaminants, which doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk.

Water travels over land or underground, acquiring natural minerals (sometimes radioactive material) and substances from human or animal activity. Source water may contain:

• Microbial Contaminants: Viruses and bacteria from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural operations, or wildlife
• Inorganic Contaminants: Salts and metals occurring naturally or resulting from urban runoff, industrial/domestic wastewater discharges, oil/gas production, mining, or farming
• Pesticides/Herbicides: From agriculture, urban runoff, and residential uses
• Organic Chemical Contaminants: Byproducts of industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive Contaminants: Naturally occurring or from oil/gas production and mining

Lead in Home Plumbing

Elevated lead levels can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead primarily comes from materials in service lines and home plumbing. While we're responsible for providing quality water, we can't control the materials used in plumbing components.

When water sits for several hours, minimize lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If concerned, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

Water Sources

Galena Park residents benefit from two water sources. The majority comes from the City of Houston water plant on Federal Road, which draws directly from the Trinity River. Our secondary source is our own water wells at our two water plants. Water Plant 1 on Stewart Road provides continuous flow with 186,000 gallons of storage. Water Plant 2 on Keene Road uses an elevated tower for pressure, with 1.5 million gallons of total storage. Together, these plants provide approximately 250 million gallons annually.

Water Treatment Process

Our treatment involves several steps. Raw water enters an aeration tank to oxidize the high iron content. Next, in a mixing tank, poly aluminum chloride and soda ash are added to create "floc" particles that settle out sediment. Chlorine is added for disinfection, then water passes through layers of coal and silicate sand filtration. A final chlorine addition serves as protection against remaining bacteria, carefully monitored at the minimum necessary level for safety.

1. How often is Galena Park municipal water tested?
2. What causes water discoloration in our area?
3. How can residents report water quality concerns?
4. Are water filters necessary for Galena Park tap water?
5. What should I do if I suspect a water main break?