GBRA  Port Lavaca Water Treatment Plant to Begin Modified Disinfection Process

Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) temporarily will substitute chlorine as the disinfecting agent in the drinking water treatment process in place of its regularly used chlorine/ammonia compound (chloramines) at the GBRA Port Lavaca Water Treatment Plant. According to Herb Wittliff, manager for Port Lavaca Operations, this action will begin on August 18, 2014 and will be used through September 8, 2014 after which the plant will resume the use of chloramines.

“Chlorine and chloramines are both excellent disinfecting agents and are used extensively in the drinking water industry to safeguard finished water against bacteria that cause water-borne illnesses,” said Wittliff. “However, the substitution of chlorine alone on a periodic basis is recommended by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in order to provide more stability to the disinfecting process and to remove any excess ammonia that might accumulate in the distribution systems over time.”

As part of the process, the wholesale customers of GBRA ¾ the City of Port Lavaca, the Calhoun County Rural Water System of GBRA, the Port O’ Connor Improvement District, and the LaSalle Water Control and Improvement District will monitor the disinfectant residual in water mains and increase flushing activities to provide a more efficient change-out of the water.

“Some customers may notice a slight change in palatability or “taste” of the water,” said Stephanie Shelly, GBRA chief operator. “There also may be a slight discoloration of the water due to flushing, but the water will remain safe and available for all domestic purposes.”

For more information, please contact your local drinking water provider. City of Port Lavaca 361-552-3347, GBRA Rural Water 361-552-9751, or Port O’ Connor 361-983-2652. LaSalle customers may call the 983-2652 number or GBRA at 552-9751.

The GBRA was established by the Texas Legislature in 1933 as a water conservation and reclamation district.  GBRA provides stewardship for the water resources in its 10-county statutory district, which begins near the headwaters of the Guadalupe and Blanco rivers, ends at San Antonio Bay, and includes Kendall, Comal, Hays, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Gonzales, Dewitt, Victoria, Calhoun, and Refugio Counties.