In 2022 and with a dynamic population of 182,790 people, the 3 McAllen Water Treatment Plants and 1MGD groundwater well, have a system capacity of 63.7 Million gallons of treated water per day.
Employing 36 personnel across 5 shifts, everyone plays a key role in our 24 hour operation of the water system to produce safe drinking water. Every person operating the plant must be licensed by the TCEQ (TEXAS COMMISION ON ENVROMENTAL QUALITY)
Rio Grande River and 1MGD from our groundwater well.
Yes. We have a shift operator 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Yes the water does get treated with some chemical, but everything has regulations that we have to follow as to how much chemical we use and what is allowed to use.
Yes tap water is safe to drink, we get regulated by TCEQ to produce safe drinking water
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The McAllen Central Water Laboratory is accredited by the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program. NELAP is a program governed by the Environmental Protection Agency and mandated through state agencies such as Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. By having implemented a NELAP Quality System, the laboratory maintains high standards for data quality and integrity.
The McAllen Central Water Laboratory’s responsibility is to assure the water plants product water provided to the citizens of McAllen is potable and 100% safe for consumption. In doing this, the lab performs on average 108,000 chemical and microbiological analyses annually. From providing water system analytical support to problem solving water quality concerns for our citizens.
120 city sample locations
QA/QC samples
Presence/Absence Total Coliforms
Presence/Absence E. coli
ATCC Culturing
Heterotrophic Plate Counts
Lab Prepared Medias
Total Hardness
Calcium Hardness
Chlorides
Alkalinity
Chlorine Residuals
Ammonia Residuals
Chloride Dioxide Residuals
pH
Threshold Odor Number
Turbidity
Algae Counts
Jar Testing
Conductivity
Total Dissolved Solids
Specific Gravity
Total Carbon
Total Inorganic Carbon
Total Organic Carbon
Ion Chromatography
Chlorite (or analyte of interest)
Metals
Minerals
Herbicides
Pesticides
Hydrocarbons
Volatiles
Polymer By-Products
Disinfection By-Products
Radionuclides
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Transmission & Distribution oversees the maintenance, upgrade, installation and removal of water transmission & distribution lines for the City of McAllen. This includes not only over 800 miles of water lines, but also cut-offs, valves, meters, fire hydrants, and sampling stations located within the city limits (CCN) and the international bridges in Mission and Hidalgo, TX. A water distribution system is a water supply network maintained at a positive pressure that ensures the delivery of potable water from the water treatment plant to the point of consumption. The system is pressurized by elevated water storage tanks (water towers) constructed at the highest point in the local network. Some of the most common customer complaints are bad odor, irrigation leaks, turn off/on meter for leak, debris in water, low water pressure and Test meter due to high bill. Customer can request to be present for meter test; Customers get one free test per year. After that, the city of McAllen can charge for each subsequent request test the customer requests. Main causes of low water pressure are as follow, water softener, damaged gate valve, and corroded customer sides. Flushing, the purpose of flushing is to maintain the water quality and reduce disinfectant byproducts. By flushing, we are maintaining our water distribution lines to ensure good quality water. The TCEQ state law all dead end mains must be flushed at a monthly interval also requires it.
Water distribution systems are designed with the intention of the water flowing in a certain direction from the distribution system to the consumer. However, hydraulic conditions within the system may alert these “normal” conditions, causing water to flow in the opposite direction in unprotected systems. This is called backflow.
Backflow occurs when the pressure in the distribution system drops, siphoning water from the consumer’s system into the distribution system. This would also siphon any substance which may be in contact with the water system through a cross-connection. This type of backflow is called Backsiphonage and may occur when there is an unusually high use of water or undersized piping in area. For example, during fire fighting, or when a main water line breaks, water is “sucked “to the point of high usage, possibly drawing non-potable substance with it, filling the water line these substances.
Backsiphonage may occur through cross-connection such as a hose from a maintenance sink in a mop bucket, or a below-rim water inlet to a tank containing a toxic solution.
A garden hose submerged into a hot tub or swimming pool, or inserted into your car’s radiator to flush out the antifreeze, or attached to an insecticide sprayer could siphon that material back into our water mains. An underground sprinkler system could cause a problem if the piping used is not drinking water quality, if the water stagnates in the system, or if pesticides or herbicides are used in the irrigation system in any way.
Federal law requires water suppliers to protect their water system from contamination or pollution by cross-connections. To do this, water suppliers diligently conduct surveys of various facilities on their systems. This allows the water or health authority (which may be working in conjunction with water agency) to determine which type of backflow protection is necessary to protect the water system.
It is very important McAllen public utility maintain a strong cross-connection control program in order to protect the purity of our drinking water.
Backflow devices assemblies must be tested for proper operation annually. This testing must be done on site by a certified backflow tester, and a maintenance report must be submitted to the McAllen Public Utility.
All consumers must be aware of cross-connection and prevent them, or protect such connections with the appropriate backflow preventer. These backflow prevents must be tested at least once each year to ensure that they are performing properly in preventing backflow.
When necessary they must be repaired in order to assure proper operation. Backpressure backflow is caused by a downstream pressure that is greater than the upstream or supply pressure in a public water system or consumer’s potable water system.
Backpressure can result from an increase in downstream pressure, a reduction in the potable water supply pressure, or a combination of both.
Increases in downstream pressure can be created by pumps, temperatures increase in boiler, etc. Reductions in potable water supply pressure occur whenever the amount of water being supplied increases dramatically, such as during water line flushing, fire fighting, or breaks in water mains.
The City of McAllen is required by the Texas Commission on Environment Quality (TCEQ) to eliminate any cross-connection from our system. The City must also maintain a Cross Connection Control Program for the potable water distribution system servicing your home or business.
Important Disclaimer: You do not have to use any of the testers on this list. This list has been provided for your convenience only. The City of McAllen/McAllen Public Utility makes no representation regarding the abilities, performance, or quality of service of the testers listed above. Further, the City of McAllen/McAllen Public Utility does not assume or accept any responsibilities for the actions or performance of such testers. It is always your responsibility to ensure that the person you select is certified by TCEQ to test backflow prevention devices. You may go to TCEQ’s Web site to verify a person’s eligibility if you are uncertain they are certified, https://www.tceq.state.tx.us.
The City of McAllen is committed to enhancing the quality of our community by taking a leadership role in the care of water resources consistent with the highest standards and customer expectations. Water customers know best how their water is being used, so your support and assistance is very important in achieving our goal of providing a safe dependable, clean supply of water for all citizens.
For more information regarding low pressure, the backflow program, traveling meters, low pressure, no water or leaks at your home, school, or business contact:
Transmission and Distribution Department
2524 Colbath Street, McAllen, TX 78504
P.O. Box 220, McAllen, TX 78505
Office (956) 681-1660
Fax (956) 681-1669
mpubackflow@mcallen.net