Check the GIS utility maps on www.mcallen.net or stop by our Utility Engineering Dept. to review Subdivision Utility Maps.

Contact City of McAllen's Planning Dept. at 681-1250 to schedule a Development Review Meeting.

Contact the City of McAllen Planning Dept. at 681-1250 to schedule Depart­mental Project Review Meeting.

Sewer taps require a Building/Plumbing Permit which must be submitted by a li­censed plumber and/or contractor.

You can contact Transmission and Distri­bution Dept. at 681-1665.

MPU does not charge Impact Fees. However, certain areas do fall within certified areas that are subject to reimbursement fees.

Yes, dependent on location of existing util­ities. You can stop by our office to review site specific information or call at 681- 1770.

To locate utilities, call 811 or visit Texas811.org

Reimbursements are fees that are paid to a developer or MPU for utility improve­ments that have been previously in­stalled.

Contact our Pretreatment Department at 681-1761

Mcallen has 10,000 manholes and 66 Lift Stations. There is approximately 535 miles of sewer pipes from 8" to 54" diameter . We also have 2 Wastewater Treatment Plants.

Mcallen has 5000 Fire hydrants, 7,500 wa­ter valves. There is approx. 750 miles of water pipes from 2" to 36" diameter. We also have 2 Water Treatment Plants.

Residential/Residencial – $100.00 Commercial/Comercial – $250.00 Restaurant/Hotels – $1,000.00

Our customers can call or come in no more than 10 calendar days in advance of the connect/disconnect date of the services. We also have a 1pm deadline where customer can connect/disconnect for the same day as long as they come in before 1pm. Nuestros clientes pueden llamar por teléfono o venir en persona con 10 días de anticipación. Utilidades Publicas tiene una hora de corte que es a la 1pm que significa que el cliente puede conectar/desconectar servicios el mismo día si la transacción es hecha antes de la 1pm.

As soon as total or past due payment and/or deposit is paid, a reconnect service order is processed. Utility servicemen work from 8am – 7pm and we cannot provide customers with an exact time of reconnect. Customer is advised to have all water faucets including toilet cutoffs off to avoid any delay on the reconnect. Después de pagar la factura y/o depósito, una orden de reconexión será procesada. Los técnicos trabajan de 8am-7pm y no tenemos una hora exacta que se pueda reconectar el servicio. Se le recomienda tener todas las llaves de agua incluyendo llaves del servicio del baño para prevenir demora en su conexión.

Any customer may have the meter tested by MPU once per year without charge. After this, any request at a shorter interval than one year shall be paid for the customer at a fee of $25 per test. Cualquier cliente puede tener su medidor de agua examinado una vez al año a ningún costo. Si solicita un examen adicional antes del periodo de 12 meses, el costo es $25.00 por cada examen.

First, check for leaks at your location. Second, if no leaks are located you can call customer service for a recheck read. If there was a leak you will and once repaired please call our office at 956.681.1600. Primero, tendrá que revisar su casa por fugas. Después de revisar y no encontrar fugas puede llamar y solicitar una verificación de lectura en su medidor. Si encuentra una fuga, y ya reparada, se comunica a nuestra oficina al 956.681.1600.

To read your bill please refer to our Utility Billing Section

McAllen Public Utility (MPU) Wastewater Systems has two Aerobic WWTPs, one on the North side and one on the South side of McAllen. Aerobic means the wastewater needs oxygen. The North WWTP is known as Extended Aeration Plant and South WWTP is known as Biological Nutrient Removal Plant. These two plants treat over 14 million gallons per day (MGD) of wastewater, but it is important to know why this wastewater should be treated. In a nutshell, to protect public health and protect the environment. Without WWTP we would have diseases spread across our country. If you look at history, WWTP is one of the most important inventions to our society along with the addition of adding chlorine to our water and wastewater system to stop the spread of waterborne illness.

Professional licensed WW Operators. All Operators that work at a WWTP must be license by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), who regulates wastewater facilities in Texas. WW Operators must take and pass a state exam and if they fail the exam, they cannot work at the WWTP. There are four (4) licenses they can achieve starting with the lowest TCEQ Wastewater license which is the D, then C, B, and the highest license that can achieve is the A. To get the TCEQ WW “A” license you need over 120 hours of educational classes and 5 years of “hands on” experiences, if you have a college degree; if you do not have a college degree, you need eight (8) years “hands on” experiences. MPU require a TCEQ WW “C” license or higher to work at the WWTPs.

Any person who uses MPU’s system to dispose of wastewater other than sanitary or domestic.

If you discharge anything other than sanitary or domestic wastewater, you must contact MPU Pretreatment Department (CA) about a permit/Control Mechanism. Permit will establish your reporting requirements and limits for discharging constituents (components, elements) found in your particular industrial waste. City of McAllen Local Limit can be located on the City ord. Section 106-182.

To obtain an application, call the MPU Pretreatment Department at 956-681-1760. Ask for a Permit Application or you may obtain an application online. Industrial Users must submit a completed discharge application permit at least 90 days before you wish to discharge wastewater.

• Equipment Review • Policies and Procedures • Disposal Options • Permit Limitations • Test Methods • Pollution Prevention Opportunities

In addition to applicable Federal pretreatment standards, discharges must stay within limits based on local wastewater treatment plant specifics. No Significant Industrial User (SIU) shall discharge wastewater containing concentrations (and/or mass limitations) of substances exceeding the following limits. All SIUs are expected to consistently discharge below these levels: Constituent Maximum Allowable (mg/L) Arsenic 0.19 Cadmium 0.14 Chromium 3.69 Copper 3.56 Cyanide 0.52 Lead 1.23 Mercury 0.00 1 Nickel 1.76 Selenium 0.10 Silver 0.80 Zinc 9.29 1 Compliance for mercury will be determined at the minimum analytical level (MAL) of 0.2 μg/L

• All Industrial users who are subject to USEPA categorical pretreatment standards, or • Any industrial user that discharges an average of 25,000 gallons per day or more of process wastewater, excluding sanitary, non-contact cooling and boiler blow-down wastewater, or • Any industrial user that contributes a process wastestream that makes up 5% or more of the average dry weather hydraulic or organic capacity of a MPU treatment plant

Significant Industrial Users (SIUs) are required to submit reports to MPU, which are listed in your discharge permit. MPU provides assistance in completing the initial forms for these reports. Other Requirements • Notification to MPU of changes in wastewater discharge, process changes or permit violations • On-going compliance with discharge permit Possible Requirements • Pretreatment of process wastewater • Continuous flow and pH monitoring • Independent wastewater analysis of permit constituents

If you waste exceeds 200 mg/L of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) or 200 mg/L of Total Suspended Solids (TSS), then fees are levied in addition to actual flow charges. These surcharges are for additional loading. Currently the surcharge fees are: BOD > 200 mg/L = 0.306 TSS > 200 mg/L = 0.713

Call the Wastewater Pretreatment Department at 956-681-1760 to request assistance.

The USEPA has mandated the use of industrial pretreatment to keep pollutants and substances that disrupt wastewater treatment processes out of the sanitary sewer system, requiring you to control them at the source. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and USEPA required that McAllen Public Utility (MPU) Control Authority (CA) to regulate and enforce pretreatment requirements, within the City of McAllen Limits as well as the City of Alton through an Inter-local Agreement. McAllen Public Utility (CA) enforces all requirements through control mechanisms / permits. CA monitors all permits on a regular basis to assure compliance with Federal, State and Local regulations. Industrial Users determined to be in Significant Noncompliance, will be published in a newspaper(s) as required by General Pretreatment Regulations in 40 CFR 403.8.Pretreatment enforcement actions can range from a simple telephone call, to the issuance of a civil penalty and even request to stop discharging.

McAllen Public Utility (MPU) Wastewater Systems has two Aerobic WWTPs, one on the North side and one on the South side of McAllen. Aerobic means the wastewater needs oxygen. The North WWTP is known as Extended Aeration Plant and South WWTP is known as Biological Nutrient Removal Plant. These two plants treat over 14 million gallons per day (MGD) of wastewater, but it is important to know why this wastewater should be treated. In a nutshell, to protect public health and protect the environment. Without WWTP we would have diseases spread across our country. If you look at history, WWTP is one of the most important inventions to our society along with the addition of adding chlorine to our water and wastewater system to stop the spread of waterborne illness.

Professional licensed WW Operators. All Operators that work at a WWTP must be license by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), who regulates wastewater facilities in Texas. WW Operators must take and pass a state exam and if they fail the exam, they cannot work at the WWTP. There are four (4) licenses they can achieve starting with the lowest TCEQ Wastewater license which is the D, then C, B, and the highest license that can achieve is the A. To get the TCEQ WW “A” license you need over 120 hours of educational classes and 5 years of “hands on” experiences, if you have a college degree; if you do not have a college degree, you need eight (8) years “hands on” experiences. MPU require a TCEQ WW “C” license or higher to work at the WWTPs.

Avoid backups by NOT dumping fats, oils or grease down your house drains and DO NOT flush objects, such as flushable wipes (not flushable), Q-tips, paper towels, plastic items, etc., only toilet paper and human waste should be flushed down the toilet.

Operators are required to pass and obtain a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Wastewater Treatment Operator License they range from initial Class “D” to Class “A” highest license each with its required years of operating experience.

Yes, the WWTPs operate 365/24 hours a day.

Operators are required to pass and obtain a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Wastewater Treatment Operator License they range from initial Class “D” to Class “A” highest license each with its required years of operating experience.

To an unnamed drainage ditch; thence to Main Floodway portion of Segment No. 2022; thence to the Arroyo Colorado above tidal in Segment No. 2022 of the Nueces-Rio Grande Coastal Basin.

Yes, licensed professional operators staff our wastewater treatment plant 24 hours a day.

On average, we deliver 1,500,000 gallons per day used for golf course irrigation.

Rio Grande River and 1MGD from our groundwell

Yes, we have a shift operator 24hrs, 365 days out of the 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

Newer homes generally have the water meter located near the curb in front of the property in a direct line with the house’s main shut-off valve. These meters are usually on a corner of the property. Older homes have the water meter located in the alley or easement at the rear of the property in direct line with the house’s main shut-off valve. These meters are usually closer to the center of the building.

All meters 1” or less require reading 5 digits, left to right, and all meters larger than 1” require 6 digits, left to right, to complete a read. Water meters in McAllen measure volume in gallons.

All Digital/LED Meter Registers require 8 digits to complete a read. The City of McAllen will be transitioning from onsite read meters (mechanical) to remote read meters (smart). Smart meters are read via a Regional Network Interface (RNI) communication system combined with an Automatic Meter Infrastructure (AMI) and do not require a visit to collect a reading. Smart meters: Have the ability to detect a leak in your system Allow online access to view your water meter usage You will be able to understand and actively engage in your water management Are accurate and provide efficient meter reading

These valves shut the water off at specific locations instead of the whole building. A Reader or Technician will gladly assist you locate your shut-off valves.

How Much Water is Lost? Typical Water Uses in Homes: Leaking Toilet @1/2 GPM = 21,600 Gal/mo Drip Irrigation @1 GPM = 43,200 Gal/mo 1 Bath = 42 Gallons Watering Garden for 2 hours @ 5 GPM = 18,000 Gal/mo 1 Shower = 17 Gallons Watering Garden for 2 hours @ 10 GPM = 36,000 Gal/mo Wash Load of Clothes = 45 Gallons Unattended Water Hose 1 night @10 GPM = 5,400 Gal/mo Flush Toilet = 3 Gallons Broken Services Line 1 night @15 GPM = 8,100 Gal 1 day @15 GPM = 21,600 Gal 1 week @15 GPM = 151,200 Gal 1 month @ 15 GPM = 648,000 Gal Stuck Ice Maker @ 2 GPM = 86,400 Gal/mo Stuck Check Valve in Washing Machine – 30 minutes = 240 Gal Stuck Float Valve in Watering Trough @ 5GPM = 216,000 Gal/mo Source: Simply Leak Detection - https://www.simplyleakdetection.biz