{"content":[{"text":"a�new�detention�pond�underneath�the�power�lines�north�of�Highland�Knolls.�In�late�August�2020,�Harris�County�notified� \n MUD�81�that�the�County�had�redefined�the�scope�of�the�Memorial�Parkway�project�to�include�significant�additional� \n detention/mitigation capacity, which they stated would be required due to new drainage criteria. Discussions are \n still�ongoing�regarding�the�design�and�location�of�new�detention�facilities.�Because�of�the�regional�benefit�that�the� \n detention facilities would provide, MUD 81 has requested and Harris County has agreed to coordinate with other \n nearby MUDs to request that those MUDs also share in the costs of the project. \n Future Improvements to Barker Reservoir: \n Improvements to the drainage systems as outlined in the two projects above are expected to impact Barker Reservoir. \n Barker Reservoir’s operations and improvements are controlled by the US Army Corp of Engineers. Any future \n mitigation/detention projects within Barker Reservoir will affect all MUDs that contribute stormwater to this reservoir. It \n is anticipated improvements to Barker Reservoir would be considered as a regional improvement and, therefore, costs \n will be shared by all affected MUDs. \n Results of Bond Election and Next Steps: \n On May 1, 2021, MUD 81 held a bond election to ask its voters whether MUD 81 should be authorized \n to issue $8,500,000 in water, sewer, and drainage facilities bonds to pay for MUD 81’s share of Harris \n County’s proposed drainage improvements for the Memorial Parkway Subdivision and Cimarron \n Subdivision – Sections 2, 3, 4, and 5. The MUD 81 Board is excited to report that the bond election \n passed overwhelmingly, with more than 84% of the voters who participated in the election voting \n in favor of the bonds. The MUD 81 Board would like to express their sincere appreciation to all of \n our residents who participated in MUD 81 meetings to discuss this important project and who came \n out and voted in the election. \n After the MUD 81 Board completes certain legal requirements in the upcoming months, we hope to sell \n the bonds either in late 2021 or early 2022. The MUD 81 Board is excited to move forward with this important project, \n which�we�anticipate�will�improve�resiliency�and�reduce�or�eliminate�future�structure�flooding�in�our�community. \n The Freeze of February 2021: Lessons Learned \n As you know, during Winter Storm Uri in February 2021, MUD 81 issued a boil water notice. This occurred because \n the pressure in the MUD 81 water supply system dropped below the state-mandated minimum threshold when power \n outages�and�freeze-related�equipment�failures�caused�certain�water�plant�facilities�to�go�offline�at�the�same�time�water� \n demand surged due to a combination of voluntary faucet dripping and unexpected leaking and burst pipes. \n The MUD 81 Board is committed to improving our water system to reduce the risk of these types of failures if we \n experience a similar freeze event in the future. In particular, the MUD 81 Board directed the engineer and operator to \n conduct a detailed review of MUD 81’s water supply facilities, and they have made recommendations to the MUD 81 \n Board for ways to enhance the resiliency of our water system to prevent or reduce the risk of a recurrence of the issues \n experienced during Winter Storm Uri. Some of the important improvements MUD 81 will be undertaking to our water \n system include: \n • Sensing Lines:�These�are�small�diameter�copper�lines�used�to�control�the�filling�and�use�of�water�in�ground�storage� \n tanks. They also contain sensors that help to minimize the risk of certain water system equipment becoming over- \n pressurized. Even though these lines were insulated, the extreme low temperatures experienced during Winter \n Storm Uri caused these lines to freeze and effectively shut down operations for several of our water plants. MUD 81 \n currently is investigating installing wireless transmitters/receivers to replace the lines or installing heating elements to \n prevent future freezing events. \n • Disinfection Systems: The type of disinfection is currently used at all of MUD 81’s water plants requires the control \n buildings�to�have�significant�ventilation�to�prevent�the�build-up�of�potentially�harmful�gases�in�the�air.�Each�building� \n was equipped with a heater, but the extreme low temperatures experienced during Winter Storm Uri combined with \n the ventilation system caused numerous pipes to freeze and break. MUD 81 currently is replacing the disinfection \n systems at all water plants to eliminate the need for such robust ventilation and allow the building heaters to function \n as intended in low temperature conditions. \n • Valves: Several large, 12-inch valves froze and cracked during Winter Storm Uri, including at water plant no. 3. Due \n to expected conditions in the Houston region, typically we only insulate 3-inch or smaller diameter pipes. MUD 81 \n is looking into purchasing and storing pipe segments, which could bridge the gap and allow our water plants to \n continue functioning if valves freeze and crack in the future. These would be left in place until new valves could be \n obtained and installed once the freeze event has ended. \n • Emergency Generator Fuel Supply: Historically in the Houston area, it was standard engineering procedure to \n convert diesel-powered backup generators at water plants and other facilities to natural gas. This is because natural \n gas�flows�through�permanent�lines,�whereas�diesel�fuel�tanks�require�periodic�refueling�during�extended�power�","bbox":{"left":0.088072,"top":0.136364,"width":0.8282349999999999,"height":0.828838}}],"images_bbox":[{"left":-0.001765,"top":0.977197,"width":1.003529,"height":0.024242}],"images_bbox_not_text_overlap":[{"left":-0.001765,"top":0.977197,"width":1.003529,"height":0.024242}]}