The City of Midland informed the public about the current water main breaks as well as the arsenic levels in the city water during a live stream of a press event. Carl Craigo, the Director of Utilities for the City of Midland, provided insights into the situation and addressed recent reports of arsenic in the water supply.
Craigo highlighted the recent surge in water main breaks, saying, "Over the last few days, the city of Midland froze, and now that we're heating back up, the city starts to see water main breaks. We've actually had 8 water main breaks over the past three days, the largest one affecting 26 houses and the smallest impacting 6 houses." He explained that the ground movement caused by freezing and thawing leads to breaks in small water mains, posing an inconvenience for connected households.
Water main breaks are more prevalent in winter, especially when the temperature fluctuates from close to zero degrees to the 40s and 50s. Craigo specified that the susceptible material to these breaks is cast iron, which tends to split when the ground moves. To address this, the city is actively replacing all iron lines, investing $2 million annually for the next five years.
Regarding the water main repairs, Craigo said, "When we fix the break, homes will experience no water. When we fix the break, we actually have to shut the water off to that system, fix the break, mainly by putting a clamp around it, then turn the water back on in that pipe." He advised residents to turn on an outside spigot once the water is restored to eliminate any air in the system.
On the issue of arsenic levels in the water supply, Craigo clarified that the City of Midland missed the annual average of arsenic by a slight margin, hitting 0.0108 mg per liter instead of the allowable 0.01 mg per liter. He emphasized that this pertains to one water source, which contributes 30% of the city's water. The 30% with elevated arsenic blends with 70% surface water, containing no arsenic, resulting in a concentration below the allowable level by the time it reaches households.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) conducts quarterly testing, and early testing is scheduled for January 24th. Craigo disclosed a pilot test of a new technology to remove arsenic, with lab results showing over 80% removal. The pilot's pricing will be presented in an upcoming city council meeting.
In response to the arsenic reports, the City of Midland issued clarifications:
Infrequent Occurrence: The exceedance of arsenic levels is an isolated incident, occurring only once in the last seven years.
Minimal Exceedance: The detected level (0.0108 mg/l) is marginally above the EPA's standard of 0.01 mg/l, posing no significant health risk.
Effective Dilution with Surface Water: The groundwater with elevated arsenic contributes to just 30% of the city's water supply, blended with 70% surface water, significantly reducing the overall arsenic concentration.
No Immediate Health Risk: Short-term exposure to this slightly elevated level of arsenic does not pose an immediate health risk.
Commitment to Safety: The City is initiating pilot testing for a treatment process to remove arsenic significantly, affirming its commitment to ensuring water safety for residents.
Residents are urged to call the City of Midland immediately if they see a water main break. The estimated time to resolve a water main break is 4 hours, but can be longer if the break occurs in the evening.