When we turn the faucet on or flush our toilets, we often give little thought to what goes on behind the scenes to ensure that happens without incident. The operation and
maintenance of these systems is always important, but it becomes even more critical during a hard freeze and other weather emergency. MUD 364’s Board of Directors would like to take a moment to shine a light on our operator, Municipal Operations and Consulting (MOC). Keeping the water on during a storm or freeze can be a serious challenge. During our most recent winter storms, MOC worked tirelessly to man the facilities and call centers and provide a fast response to any issues. We all owe them a huge thank you for their outstanding effort.

FAQs

Municipal Operations and Consulting’s key responsibility in an emergency is customer service. While making sure all our district’s customers always have a potable water supply is extremely important, and goes a long way toward customer service, it is not the only thing we are concerned about during a winters storm or hurricane. MOC also wants to ensure that each customer is able to speak to a knowledgeable person if they have an issue and can get a quick resolution to any issues that arise.

MOC has learned many lessons over the 23 years that we have been in business. For every emergency, whether a winter storm, hurricane, or even a tornado like Houston had in May of 2024, the best preparations are done far in advance. Throughout the year, MOC exercises generators weekly, filters diesel fuel of each generator biannually, and maintains a strict PM (preventative maintenance) program on both stationary and portable generators.

To prevent problems during a winter storm, we begin winterizing facilities in late September and have several inspections at each facility to ensure nothing is missed. Each inspection is done using an online form so that pictures can be uploaded, and management can see what facility inspections are pending. It is easy for an operator that visits a facility every day to overlook something small that could be very important during a freeze. MOC wants to make sure those items are identified and corrected before they cause a problem later.

Additionally, MOC has a disaster plan that details each field employees’ responsibilities during an emergency. While the disaster plan is a living document, changes regularly, and is available online for each employee, we print these before hurricane season each year. This way, if there is a loss of internet service, each field employee will have what they need. Before hurricane season, our area managers also meet with new employees in the field to walk them through their emergency duties so there is no confusion.

Finally, during emergencies, all of MOC’s field staff are stationed in a designated area to minimize response time and the need to drive on the main roads. If possible, we have staff in the districts before the event, assuring there will not be a lag in available personnel. The plant operators will monitor water and wastewater facilities 24 hours a day to ensure everything is operating as it should. The field techs will monitor the neighborhood for issues like leaks or sewer backups and be available to respond to any customer emergencies
quickly.

During winter storm Uri, it became obvious that, due to the power shortage, the generators at a significant number of water and wastewater facilities were going to run longer than the onsite fuel supply would support. The roads were too icy for the fuel delivery companies to drive their heavy delivery trucks on, so we were forced to adapt. We quickly loaded fuel tanks on trailers and flatbed trucks. Using credit cards to pay at the pump, our staff was able to purchase fuel from truck stops that had power, even if they were not open. Some of us had 50-gallon tanks that would keep a generator fueled for a few hours, while others had 1000-gallon trailers that could fill up a large generator in two trips. Since winter storm Uri, we have purchased more permanent fuel trailers and have created an in-house app that our field staff can use to request fuel during emergencies. MOC has also amended our disaster plan so that numerous employees are exclusively dedicated to delivering fuel. During Hurricane Beryl, we found the system to be a huge success.

As discussed earlier, during emergencies, it is extremely important for our customers to be able to speak with a knowledgeable CSR (customer service representative) when they have an issue and get a quick response. Prior to a winter storm or hurricane, MOC’s office staff are stationed at our office in Cypress and take shifts answering customer calls 24/7. During these emergencies, MOC wants every customer to be able to speak with a person that can access their account and immediately dispatch a field tech if needed. When we built the Cypress office, we made sure the onsite generator could run all the air conditioners, heaters, and IT systems needed to keep staff comfortable and able to give excellent service to customers.

If an issue needs to be communicated quickly, MOC has the ability to send emergency emails and/or text messages to customers that have supplied their information. We can also post updates to our website to keep customers informed.

One way residents can support MOC’s efforts to maintain water service during extreme weather events by preparing their homes for the event. For example, during winter storm Uri, some districts experienced water usage skyrocket due to broken pipes. Many residents left their homes due to the lack of electricity and either went to stay with friends, family, or in a hotel. When pipes burst in numerous homes, in addition to residents dripping their faucets to keep pipes from freezing, the water plants had a hard time keeping up with the demand. While we completely understand that it is hard to plan for every scenario, as Benjamin Franklin said, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”