MPU one of 10 water utilities in Texas that assisted cities affected by flooding
Texas Border Business
Almost a year ago, Texas and the rest of the nation watched horrified as Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas Gulf Coast causing flooding and devastation. This record-shattering rainfall affected homes and roadways, brought down electrical service and even, shuttered municipal water utilities and sewer systems. Pump stations were flooded, water lines were leaking, sewage systems over-flowed and debris was everywhere. This left many Texas communities without basic utility services. Those communities faced the challenge of restoring these services, even while their own personnel dealt with the effects of the storm.
But as is always the case when disaster strikes, in true Texas fashion, cities and municipal utility systems around the state rolled up their sleeves and got to work to help those communities affected by the storm. The McAllen Public Utility was one of those that sent personnel and equipment to clear debris, pump out floodwater, and repair facilities.
“The McAllen Public Utility was there to not only help bring these systems back online, but also and more importantly, to bring a sense of normalcy and calm to our neighbors,” said Mark Vega, general manager for the McAllen Public Utility (MPU).
The McAllen Public Utility headed more than 200 miles to the north to ensure that a lift station was repaired in Austwell, and leaking water lines were fixed in Aransas Pass and Fulton. The team also flushed the water lines in the Aransas Pass distribution system.
Because of this and the work done by nine other municipal water utility systems throughout Texas, including: Austin, Balch Springs, Carrolton, Corpus Christi; Denton; Goliad; Jonah Special Utility District; Rowlett; San Patricio; Taft; and Violet, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality presented the systems with certificates of appreciation to kick off the TCEQ’s annual Public Drinking Water Conference in Austin.
“If neighbors hadn’t helped their neighbors the way they did during Hurricane Harvey, Texas would not have survived this disaster as well as we did. And it’s a tribute to TXWARN’s partner facilities that we got our public services back up as fast as we did,” said Jon Niermann, Commissioner, TCEQ.
“It was the right thing to do,” said Charles Amos, Chairman, MPU Board of Trustees. “We pray to God that it won’t happen again, but if it does, we will be right there to help in any way we can. That is what McAllen does.”
