URGENT WATER USAGE ANNOUNCEMENT

RCH Water Towe against Cloudy Sky

ATTENTION RCH WATER SUPPLY CORPORATION CUSTOMERS:

At approximately 3:06 pm on June 29, 2023 RCH WSC’s water demand has exceeded the contractual amount of 2.1 million gallons. This could lead to a critical situation that will trigger Stage 4 of the RCH WSC Drought Contingency Plan.

Please help our community by taking time to ensure irrigation of landscaped areas shall be limited to designated water days between the hours of 6 am and 10 am and between 8 pm and 12:00 midnight and shall be by means of hand-held hoses, hand-held buckets, or drip irrigation only.

The use of hose-end sprinklers or permanently installed automatic sprinkler systems are prohibited at all times.

Fire Chief Simmons has coordinated with local partners to be on standby for mobile water tanker trucks to deploy when needed. Our first responders will provide exceptional services through responsive teamwork and serving our community with a mission to protect lives and property. Chief reached out to RCH WSC Director to be proactive on the Drought Contingency Plan and signage will be placed throughout the district very soon. The RCH Board is actively engaging with Chief Simmons to foster effective communication to the district.

Use of water to wash any motor vehicles/boats on the premises and not in the immediate interest of public health, safety and welfare is prohibited. Commercial car washes and service stations shall operate between the hours of 6 am and 10 am and between 6 pm and 10 pm only.

The filling, refilling or adding of water to swimming pools, wading pools and Jacuzzi-type pools is prohibited.

Ornamental fountain or ponds for aesthetic or scenic purposes is prohibited except where necessary to support aquatic life or where such fountains or ponds are equipped with a re-circulation system.

Learn more about the Drought Contingency Plan

STATEMENT ADDRESSING THE WATER SERVICE

Aerial shot of McLendon-Chisholm City Hall.

We desire the right to provide water service to the city limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction of McLendon-Chisholm. McLendon-Chisholm is complying with the provisions of Chapter 13 of the Texas Water Code, as applicable, and the corresponding Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) regulations.

RCH Water Supply Corporation no longer has any administrative employee, officer or agent to carry out its day-to-day operations and business affairs, including, but not limited to: repair and maintenance of its system, water meter reading, or water billing, and this has negatively impacted its ability to provide water service to the area and customers served by RCH.

McLendon-Chisholm will be able to accomplish a public purpose and is in the best interest of McLendon-Chisholm, its citizens and RCH customers to provide continuous and adequate service to consumers. Our plan is to make immediate operational management improvements to the pumping station, provide a meter reader solution and implement billing administration with quality customer service. In addition to accounting services our City Council will consider combining the water, wastewater and waste management services on a single billing statement.

We will work with our engineers to address infrastructure improvements and work towards becoming a direct customer with North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD).

City Proclaims June 13 Robin Mayall Appreciation Day

Robin Mayall receiving a proclamation.
Robin Mayall receiving a proclamation.

Pictured Above: Hon. Rep Justin Holland’s Chief of Staff Robert Paulsen, Mayor Pro Tem Adrienne Balkum, Robin Mayall, Blackland General Manager Scott Muckensturm, and Hon. Sen. Bob Hall’s District Director John Vick

Mayor Pro Tem Adrienne Balkum proclaims June 13 Robin Mayall Appreciation Day in the City of McLendon-Chisholm.

We want to recognize the contributions Mr. Mayall makes on a daily basis to our health, safety, comfort and quality of life for his timely service and for his; coordinating efforts with neighboring water service providers and working with the City of Rockwall.

On behalf of the Honorable Texas Representative Justin Holland Chief of Staff Robert Paulsen presented a resolution recognizing Robin Mayall’s invaluable contributions to North Texas with his leadership has helped Blackland Water Supply Corporation acquire its new customer contract with NTMWD in December 2021.

On behalf of the Honorable Texas Senator Bob Hall District Director John Vick presented a resolution that Mr. Mayall be honored for his service as project manager with Blackland Water Supply Corporation and that he be extended sincere best wishes for the future.

Mayall proclamation.

Pictured Above: Hon. Rep Justin Holland’s Chief of Staff Robert Paulsen, Mayor Pro Tem Adrienne Balkum, Robin Mayall, Blackland Project Manager, and Hon. Sen. Bob Hall’s District Director John Vick

IS YOUR TRASH & RECYCLING ACCOUNT UP TO DATE?

CWD trash truck.

If you do not have an active CWD account, or you have an account with a past-due balance, you will be notified via a yellow hanger on your cart.

To check the status of your account, or to set up a new account, please contact CWD Customer Service at 972.392.9300/Option 2 or via email at customerservice@cwd.to.

Note: If no account exists at your address, or the account is past due, the trash and recycling carts will be removed until an account is set up/paid up.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CWD TRASH & RECYCLE SERVICES

TOP 10 WATER SUPPLY QUESTIONS

Water Supply Q&A Graphic

Q&A

Questions and answers arising from the City’s acquisition of RCH.

  1. Will RCH Water Supply Corporation customer rates change?
    When the City acquires RCH, it will be able to set rates without going through the Public Utility Commission (PUC) for approval. The McLendon-Chisholm City Council sets the rates just like they do with services provided by vendors like Waste Management Services, Trash Services, etc. Once the Transfer Agreement is executed there is a list of events which will occur, including, but not limited to: an inspection of RCH’s financial documents for the purpose of conducting a study to ensure the City is covering the expenses and has a reserve. Customers inside the City Limits do not have the right to appeal rates to the PUC, because they have the power of the vote in City elections. [Texas Water Code Sec. 13.043]
  2. What can customers in the ETJ do about rate changes?
    For those customers that live outside the City Limits and are unable to vote in City elections, they have the right to appeal the rates to the PUC. An appeal requires 10% of the customers outside the City Limits to join. [Texas Water Code Sec. 13.043]
  3. Will there be a future rate study?
    Yes, it may take place for the 2024-2025 City Budget Season. There are current rates already set by RCH that will be used at this time. Please note that rates for outside City customers would need justification to be treated differently than those inside the City Limits, such as the additional infrastructure, resources and personnel time required to provide service to the ETJ customers. The City would have to give notice to the City customers outside the City Limits of the rate change within 60 days after the effective date of the rate change. [Texas Water Code Sec. 13.043]
  4. Can the City offer billing administration?
    Yes. The City has an agreement with Inframark and will start new account administration once the City provides customer data.
  5. Will the City produce an audit?
    Yes. 180 days after the end of the fiscal year an independent audit has to be presented and accepted to the City Council.
  6. Did the City request items in the RCH WSC Transfer Agreement?
    When the City Council passed this agreement on September 27, 2022 there is a “Section V. Review Period and Right to Inspect” stating within fourteen (14) days of the Effective Date, RCH shall make “documents” available for reasonable inspection and copying by McLendon-Chisholm. “Documents” includes such items as operation logs and engineering to financial related documents. This is a standard list of items to be requested, and the City understands due to lack of improvements it may be difficult to deliver. However, good faith efforts should be attempted.
  7. Did the City include clauses in the RCH WSC Transfer Agreement that McLendon-Chisholm can terminate the Agreement?
    The City Management, City Council and local citizens have exhibited good faith in all their efforts to show support. This includes things like allowing a secure water payment lock box to be placed at the City Hall. The City Council retained a water specialist, Emily Rogers of Bickerstaff, Heath Delgado Acosta, LLP. The City Council appointed several citizens to serve on a City Water Committee. A plethora of actions taken by local government showing its support for this transfer exhibit the City’s firm belief this Agreement will serve our public.
  8. How long will it take for an approval of the Agreement by the Public Utility Commission?
    In some cases, it has taken approximately nine (9) months. Most of the application and documents have already been processed from City Administration and our Legal Team. McLendon-Chisholm has drafted an interim agreement and the City Council unanimously passed that agenda item on May 24, 2023. The RCH WSC Board Directors should have received certified letters by Postal Service containing this Interim Agreement. No board director or RCH WSC registered agent has requested these documents from City Administration.
  9. Can RCH WSC Board of Directors approve for the president to sign the Interim Agreement and the Transfer Agreement while both parties await for the PUC to respond to the filing?
    Yes. It’s the City’s earnest hope the RCH WSC Board President, David Naylor, will have followed through in producing a June 7, 2023, 4:00 PM RCH Board meeting agenda which includes discussion and action of the referenced agreements. Once the RCH WSC Board approves both agreements then designated representatives City Administrator Konrad Hildebrandt and Mayor Pro Tem Adrienne Balkum will provide an immediate remedy by initiating the process to negotiate an Interim Management Agreement (also delivered to RCH) on behalf of RCH to handle the day-to-day operations, business affairs, repair, maintenance, water meter reading, billing, etc.
  10. Does the City of McLendon-Chisholm have the monies to manage water system improvements?
    Yes. During the interim of the first stage of the transfer process we have cost-related information for immediate needs that will be necessary for operations and billing administration. Additional stages for improvements will be addressed in future budgets and will be planned for as it involves several entities including NTMWD.

If there are additional questions or concerns please email City Administrator Konrad Hildebrandt so that it may be addressed in a timely manner.