By Russell Slaton
russell@themonitor.net

TRINIDAD-The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued a quality report July 1 about the City of Trinidad’s water system, which followed a weeks-long compliance investigation that led to a notice of violation from TCEQ.
However, the report said during those investigations conducted May 15-29, no violations were noted for water treatment at the surface water treatment plant on North Leagueline Road. TCEQ says the city’s data and instruments were reviewed, and the parameters reported were measured with TCEQ instruments. “In other words, the discolored water was not originating from the SWTP (surface water treatment plant,” TCEQ stated.
As for the violations, one of TCEQ’s allegations is a failure to design the town’s water distribution system to afford effective circulation of water with a minimum of dead ends. TCEQ says the investigator documented that some streets with discoloration problems have dead ends that should be looped to mitigate excessive water age, such as Olive and Peach streets, which are across McEntire Road from Trinidad ISD’s campus.
TCEQ recommends Trinidad submit a compliance plan by Aug. 3. TCEQ documents say Trinidad’s plan should include the proposed actions to be taken to correct the allegations in the notice of violation, which encompasses five separate violations, four classified by TCEQ as “minor” and one (failure to meet the agency’s minimum of total chlorine of 0.5 milligrams per liter) noted as “moderate.” There also were three “additional issues” identified by the state environmental agency.
Two of the violations had been resolved by the time the report was issued: one dealing with failure to meet the state’s secondary constituent level for color (15 color units, which was resolved June 19) along with the total chlorine levels. For that, TCEQ had noted a temporary change to the city’s disinfectant used in the water distribution system, which lasted April 27-May 30. Before its resolution, the TCEQ investigator documented that the water system failed to conduct chloramine effectiveness sampling in its distribution lines during that process.
Also, the TCEQ report says the investigator documented there was a failure to maintain items at the water treatment plant, such as erratic communication between the combined filter effluent turbidimeter and the controller, and non-staffed and non-operational alarms used for monitoring various parameters.
TCEQ also stated “the age and condition of (water) distribution mains may be a factor in contributing to tinted or discolored water.” Also, TCEQ’s report says on May 26, it was documented that a sample of water taken from a fire hydrant at the junction of Walnut and Olive streets had 20 color units, even after significant flushing of the flush valve. The commission says that was resolved May 29 when the tint was less than 15 color units.
More TCEQ comments were that the chlorine rotameter at the water plant should be checked to make sure it is operating consistently, and that water age in the clearwells may also be a factor in Trinidad’s troubles. TCEQ also criticized the condition of the plant itself, including downed perimeter fencing that does not uphold the state standards of no public entry onto the property.
TCEQ said Trinidad’s water plant operator indicated several projects had been pursued to upgrade the city’s water mains. The commission says the water plant operator believes significant portions of the distribution system are old, iron-based water mains (an inventory of the water main composition was not available for review, TCEQ noted).
TCEQ recommends increased flushing to remove iron from the water, which the commission said can result in rust coloration, and also to get rid of manganese, which TCEQ says can result in blackish water, “(B)ut sometimes they are hard to distinguish based on color,” the report notes. No other active violations of the state’s primary standards were identified in the report by TCEQ’s Water Supply Division which could contribute to the discolored water.
The water issue coincided with three City of Trinidad employees resigning July 15. Trinidad Mayor Dennis Haws told the community July 17 that the Texas Municipal League (TML) was helping guide the city through their continuing woes, which had included the visit from the state’s environmental authority from Austin.
The three City of Trinidad employees who resigned are City Administrator Cynthia Dosier, City Clerk Sandra Rojas and Municipal Judge Susan Carver.
Haws said TML provided Trinidad with a couple of their partners who provide temporary staffing for municipalities “and so we are exploring that avenue. There are also a couple of candidates that have offered to fill the role of administrator on an interim basis, but we need to consider these carefully.”
The mayor also said because of billing difficulties, “we do not want to turn your water off and we’re not going to do that if we can’t get the bills out on time. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have questions and I will close with again asking for your patience.”
Then, July 19, Haws said city hall would open again during all weekdays “for the foreseeable future.” Also during his July 19 update, Haws said Trinidad had decided to bring in two interim employees “to help us work through this and hopefully become long-term employees moving forward.”
The interim employees include Michelle Webb, who Haws said serves as Trinidad’s interim city administrator, as well as Nicole Sprabary, who Haws said serves as the town’s interim city clerk. “They both have extensive administrative and customer service experience, and I believe they both have a desire to serve and believe they will be a great addition to our city administration,” Haws remarked.
The mayor also made a few observations. “As with all things we do these days, I’m sure there will be some naysayers, I would ask that you give the ladies a chance to get their feet on the floor, and I believe they will do fine. I encourage you to go by and meet them if you have time.”
Also, Haws said he made the staffing decision of hiring the two interim employees after conferring with TML’s legal department “and much thought. I take full responsibility for this appointment.” He also said the town started July 20 to take applications to file for candidacy in the next municipal election.