MUD 18 Newsletter
October – December 2023

2023 Tax Rate

The new tax for 2023 will be $0.232 per $100 of valuation. This is a $0.028 ( 10.8 % ) drop from the previous year. On average, the home valuation in the district increased about $60,882, and the Board wants to maintain the revenue as close as possible to last year. Last year the average tax bill was $1,454, while this year it will be $1,439. Please note that this is an average, meaning some bills will be higher and some bills will be lower. Everything will be based on your property’s assessed value and if you had a successful protest outcome. It is the intention of the Board to collect only what is needed to meet our debt obligations and our planned capital expenditures in the five-year plan to maintain the plants and equipment.

Suggested Watering Guidelines for Your Property

Proper watering is critical to your lawn’s health and vigor. Deep and infrequent watering is the best practice. This means wetting the soil to a depth of 3-5 inches per irrigation. This equates to 1-1.25 inches of water per week, split over several days. Your run times should be adjusted based on how dry your yard is. Winter watering should have run times 50% less than your summer run schedule.

Watering is most beneficial to your grass when done in the morning (3 a.m. to 8 a.m.) rather than afternoon or evening. Avoid overnight watering. Early morning watering allows the leaf blades to dry and reduces the risk of disease. Do not water every day or two. Frequent, short watering encourages shallow roots, unhealthy grass plants, and turf susceptible to drought and disease.

Let the turf determine watering frequency. Since heat, humidity and rainfall vary, it’s best to water at the first signs of stress, not on a predetermined schedule. As a note, St. Augustine turf has poor drought tolerance and requires more irrigation than other grasses to survive during our long hot summers.

The soil around new shrubs needs to be kept moist but not soggy. Water them 3-4 times per week for no more than 5 minutes each time. Keep the ground around new trees moist initially by using a soaker hose or drip line, but gradually back off after 2 weeks.

Tips to Prevent a Leaking Water Heater Disaster

Fortunately, most water heater problems can be avoided with proper maintenance. If you follow these steps once or twice a year your water heater should last a long time, work efficiently, and avoid a leaking disaster.

1. Check Temperature & Pressure-Relief Valve

Test the temperature and pressure-relief valve (T&P valve) once a year to make sure it’s working properly. Use caution: The water in the tank is hot and can cause scalding burns. When you pull up or push down on the valve handle, hot water should come out of the overflow pipe. If it does not, it may need replacing. You can do this yourself but a better option is to call a professional plumber.

2. Drain Water

Periodically, about every 12-16 months, drain a bucket of water from the drain faucet at the bottom of the water tank to remove sediment. The sediment can corrode the unit and reduce heating efficiency.

3. Check Water Lines

Check all of the water lines, fittings and valves connected to your water heater. Look for signs of leaking water. Using a flashlight, check under the tank for small leaks that could be caused by rust or corrosion.

4. Use a Drain Pan

Use a specially designed drain pan (also called a drip pan) under the water heater. They come in all sizes and are circular or square. You can find a decent drain pan for $15-30 at your local hardware or building supply store. Make sure it has a drain at the bottom, and periodically check to make sure it is not clogged.

5. Check the Sacrificial Anode

Water is known for causing rust, corrosion and general harm to metals. So, have you ever wondered what prevents water from damaging the metal of your water heater tank? This protection is often provided by a sacrificial anode rod installed in your unit.

REMINDER

For any water, sewer or other issues concerning MUD 18, please contact our operator Hays Utilities North at 936-588-1166. Hays personnel are usually in Bentwater during the day to respond to emergencies. Also refer to our web site https://www.mcmud18.com to look for answers to other questions.

Your MUD Board:
Susan McFarland, President
Lou Tichacek, Vice President
Gary Montgomery, Treasurer
Rex Cambern, Secretary
John Crystal, Assistant Secretary

MUD 18 Newsletter
January – March 2023

Sign up for Alert Notifications

When you go to the MUD 18 website home page, a pop-up will appear asking you to sign up for emergency alerts. You can sign up for email alerts, text alerts, or both. At a minimum, we urge all customers to sign up for text alerts. We want to make sure all our customers can be notified in case of emergency. This system will be used only in emergency situations where the community needs to be notified for health or safety reasons. Also, please bookmark our website (http://www.mcmud18.com) as most questions about water, sewer, and trash pickup are answered there. If your water and sewer questions are not answered on our web site, contact our operator Hays Utility North at 936-588-1166. For trash and recycle information, contact Waste Management at 800-800-5804. Please remember the customer for Waste Management is M.U.D. 18, not Bentwater.

Recycling

Over the years Bentwater residents have done a great job of recycling, thereby reducing the amount of solid waste sent to the landfill. Each year the amount we recycle keeps going up. Waste Management furnished each homeowner a 96-gallon cart, with a YELLOW lid, for recycle items. Please only use this container for recycling. Home owners must supply their own container for trash pickup. Remember, only items placed in the bin with the yellow lid will be picked up for recycling as there is only the driver and the pickup is automated. If recyclables are placed next to the bin they will not be picked up. Cardboard boxes should be collapsed to fit in the bin. Even better, cut them up into smaller pieces, which will enable you to get more in the bin.

Always recycle: plastic bottles and containers, food and beverage cans, paper, cardboard and paper board, glass bottles and containers. Place only clean and dry recyclables in your recycling cart.

Do not recycle: food or liquids; Styrofoam cups or containers; loose plastic bags such as those from the grocery store or dry cleaners; film of any kind; bagged recyclables; batteries or electronics; green waste; clothing; furniture or carpeting; rope or wire; shredded paper. Since Waste Management is a single stream recycler (we do not have to separate items) it is important not to put anything in the recycler that will get caught in the spinning discs at the plant. If the discs get tangled with wire rope or plastic bags the system has to be shut down and cleaned out. Therefore, even wire hangers from the dry cleaners cannot be recycled.

Regular Trash Collection: Monday and Thursday

Please be sure your trash is at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on collection day.
Household garbage, grass clippings, leaves, branches and tree trimmings are collected at the curb. You are limited to 10 bags, bundles or containers per collection. Containers over 45 gallons must have all trash bagged.

Bulky Trash Collection: Thursday

Limit: Two bulk items
Acceptable items include moving boxes (please break them down and bundle them), old furniture, appliances, grass clippings, leaves, branches and tree trimmings.
Important: For the safety and protection of Waste Management employees and equipment, branches and tree trimmings need to be no greater than 3 inches in diameter and to be cut, tied and bundled into 4-foot lengths weighing no more than 40-50 pounds.

Please note! Waste Management can no longer dispose of CFC refrigerant containing items (refrigerators, freezers, etc.) without certification that the Freon has been properly removed and recycled, pursuant to current Federal law.

Unacceptable Items:
Gasoline & oil (cans/filters); vehicle tires; large pieces of metal; landscape materials; rocks; electronic waste (such as televisions/computers, monitors); construction debris (paint & carpet, etc.); glass (i.e. windows, bathroom mirrors resulting from construction projects); propane tanks.

MUD Meetings Open to the Public

Our regularly scheduled monthly meetings are the third Tuesday of the month at 9:30 a.m. in the Country Club Cypress Room. Meetings are open to the public. The agenda is posted on our web site and the message board in the breezeway entrance to the Country Club Grill near the Golf Pro-shop. Minutes from meetings are published on the MUD 18 web site.

Your MUD Board:
Susan McFarland, President
Lou Tichacek, Vice President
Gary Montgomery, Treasurer
Rex Cambern, Secretary
John Crystal, Assistant Secretary

MUD 18 Newsletter
October – December 2022

2022 Tax Rate
The new tax for 2022 will be $0.26 per $100 of valuation.  This is a $0.03 drop from the previous year.  On average, the home valuation in the district increased about $50,000, and the Board wants to maintain the revenue as close as possible to last year.  Last year the average tax bill was $1,452, while this year it will be $1,454.  Please note that this is an average, meaning some bills will be higher and some bills will be lower than the average.  Everything will be based on your property’s assed value and if you had a successful protest outcome.  It is the intention of the Board to collect only what is needed to meet our debt obligations and our planned capital expenditures in the five year plan to maintain the Districts plant and equipment.

Construction on FM 1097
Starting October 3, 2022, you will begin to see construction on the South side of FM 1097 for a 12-inch water main from Water Plant 2 to the East entrance of Bentwater.  This project will loop Bentwater’s entire water district to provide redundancy and better maintain constant water pressure.  If for some reason there is an issue at one of our water plants the other plant will be able to maintain the district without any noticeable effect.

Suggested Watering Guidelines for Your Property
Proper watering is critical to your lawn’s health and vigor. Deep and infrequent watering is the best practice. This means wetting the soil to a depth of 3-5 inches per irrigation. This equates to 1-1.25 inches of water per week, split over several days.  Your run times should be adjusted based on how dry your yard is. Winter watering should have run times 50% less than your summer run schedule.

Watering is most beneficial to your grass when done in the morning (3 a.m. to 8 a.m.) rather than afternoon or evening.  Avoid overnight watering. Early morning watering allows the leaf blades to dry and reduces the risk of disease.  Do not water every day or two. Frequent, short watering encourages shallow roots, unhealthy grass plants, and turf susceptible to drought and disease.

Let the turf determine watering frequency. Since heat, humidity and rainfall vary, it’s best to water at the first signs of stress, not on a predetermined schedule.  As a note, St. Augustine turf has poor drought tolerance and requires more irrigation to survive during our long hot summers.

Water newer plants 3-4 times per week for no more than 5 minutes.  Keep the ground around new trees and shrubs moist initially using a soaker hose or drip line but gradually back off after two weeks.

Recommended Lawn Watering Schedule
Here are some general lawn-watering guidelines and tips:

Irrigation Spray Head Averages
Pop-up spray head: 10-12 minutes, 3 times per week = 1”
Rotary spray heads: 16-23 minutes, 3 times per week = 1”

Seasonal Watering Recommendations
January & February – Rainfall is usually adequate.
Water if no rainfall for four weeks.
March, April & May – Water only once per week if less than one inch of rainfall occurs.
June, July, August & Early September – Water each section heavily at least twice a week if less than one inch rainfall.

Late September & October – REDUCE WATER FREQUENCY!
Early fall is Brown Patch Season, and excess water triggers this disease. During September water only once per week if no rainfall and every two weeks in October if no rain.
November & December – Rainfall is usually adequate. Water if no rainfall for four weeks

Suggested Irrigation System Settings
Some irrigation timers have a seasonal adjustment setting that enables you to reduce or increase watering without changing zone settings.  Suggested settings for our area:

November, December, January and February = 0%
March              50%
April                 70%
May                  80%
June                  90%
July/August     100%
September        70%
October            50%

Your MUD Board:

Susan McFarland, President
Lou Tichacek, Vice President
Gary Montgomery, Treasurer
Rex Cambern, Secretary
John Crystal, Assistant Secretary

MUD 18 Newsletter
July – September 2022

Rate Increase

It has been 12 years since the last water rate change, and operating costs have risen significantly since then. To determine how much your Montgomery County MUD 18 District should be charging for water and sewer services, we asked Bleyl Engineering to review the existing rates in relation to operating and maintenance expenses.  Hays Utility North (which operates our water and sewer plants) provided billing and expense data for water and sewer usage and miscellaneous fees from March 2021 to February 2022.  District Data Services (which handles bookkeeping services for our MUD district) provided annual operating and maintenance (O&M) expenses for the same period as the utility billing.  After analysis, Bleyl informed us that the District’s O&M expenses exceeded its billing revenue by a total of $190,395 during the study period.  A new rate order was determined and applied to the test period, which gave the District a $555 surplus instead of a deficit.  In order to preserve our financial stability and keep the District on a sound financial footing, the board has decided to adjust the water rates accordingly.

The proposed new rate order, which will go into effect in August 2022, is as follows:

  Gallons                                  Rate       

0 to 4,000                                $15.00                         (+$5.00)
4,000 to 10,000                       $1.00 per 1,000 gal.  (no change)
10,001 to 15,000                     $1.50 per 1,000 gal.  (no change)
15,001 to 20,000                     $2.50 per 1,000 gal.  (+$0.50)
20,001 to 30,000                     $3.50 per 1,000 gal.  (+$0.50)
30,001 and over                      $4.50 per 1,000 gal.  (+$0.75)

With high heat and drought conditions continuing to impact usage, it is important to conserve water.  Since each property has different landscaping layouts and sizes, please review the following water guidelines and make adjustments to suit your particular conditions. A useful link for water conservation: https://www.infinityservicesllc.com/latest-articles/water-conservation-2022/

Suggested Watering Guidelines for Your Property

Proper watering is critical to your lawn’s health and vigor. Deep and infrequent watering is the best practice. This means wetting the soil to a depth of 3-5 inches per irrigation. This equates to 1-1.25 inches of water per week, split over several days.  Your run times should be adjusted based on how dry your yard is. Winter watering should have run times 50% less than your summer run schedule.

Watering is most beneficial to your grass when done in the morning (3 a.m. to 8 a.m.) rather than afternoon or evening.  Avoid overnight watering. Early morning watering allows the leaf blades to dry and reduces the risk of disease.  Do not water every day or two. Frequent, short watering encourages shallow roots, unhealthy grass plants, and turf susceptible to drought and disease.

Let the turf determine watering frequency. Since heat, humidity and rainfall vary, it’s best to water at the first signs of stress, not on a predetermined schedule.  As a note, St. Augustine turf has poor drought tolerance and requires more irrigation to survive during our long hot summers.

Water newer plants 3-4 times per week for no more than 5 minutes.  Keep the ground around new trees and shrubs moist initially using a soaker hose or drip line but gradually back off after two weeks.

Recommended Lawn Watering Schedule

Here are some general lawn-watering guidelines and tips:

Irrigation Spray Head Averages

Pop-up spray head: 10-12 minutes, 3 times per week = 1”
Rotary spray heads: 16-23 minutes, 3 times per week = 1”

Seasonal Watering Recommendations

January & February – Rainfall is usually adequate.
Water if no rainfall for four weeks.
March, April & May – Water only once per week if less than one inch of rainfall occurs.
June, July, August & Early September – Water each section heavily at least twice a week if less than one inch rainfall.
Late September & October – REDUCE WATER FREQUENCY!
Early fall is Brown Patch Season, and excess water triggers this disease. During September water only once per week if no rainfall and every two weeks in October if no rain.
November & December – Rainfall is usually adequate. Water if no rainfall for four weeks

Suggested Irrigation System Settings

Some irrigation timers have a seasonal adjustment setting that enables you to reduce or increase watering without changing zone settings.  Suggested settings for our area:

November, December, January and February = 0%

March              50%
April                 70%
May                  80%
June                  90%
July/August     100%
September        70%
October            50%

Your MUD Board:

Susan McFarland, President
Lou Tichacek, Vice President
Gary Montgomery, Treasurer
Rex Cambern, Secretary
John Crystal, Assistant Secretary

MUD 18 Newsletter

April – June 2022

Tips to Prevent a Leaking Water Heater Disaster

Fortunately, most water heater problems can be avoided with proper maintenance. If you follow these steps once or twice a year your water heater should last a long time, work efficiently, and avoid a leaking disaster.

1. Check Temperature & Pressure Relief Valve

Test the temperature and pressure relief valve (T&P valve) once a year to make sure it’s working properly. Use caution: The water in the tank is hot and can cause scalding burns. When you pull up or push down on the valve handle, hot water should come out of the overflow pipe. If it does not, it may need replacing. You can do this yourself but a better option is to call a professional plumber.

2. Drain Water

Periodically, about every 12-16 months, drain a bucket of water from the drain faucet at the bottom of the water tank to remove sediment. The sediment can corrode the unit and reduce heating efficiency.

You can drain your tank by attaching a garden hose to your drain valve, which can be found at the bottom of your water heater’s tank. Open your hot water tap closest to your water heater but a floor above (if possible). Then open the drain valve (use a bucket). Again, take care not to get burned by the hot water.

3. Check Water Lines

Check all of the water lines, fittings and valves connected to your water heater. Look for signs of leaking water. Using a flashlight, check under the tank for small leaks that could be caused by rust or corrosion.

4. Use a Drain Pan

Use a specially designed drain pan (also called a drip pan) under the water heater. They come in all sizes and are circular or square. You can find a decent drain pan for $15-30 at your local hardware or building supply store. Make sure it has a drain at the bottom, and periodically check to make sure it is not clogged.

5. Check the Sacrificial Anode

Water is known for causing rust, corrosion and general harm to metals. So have you ever wondered what prevents water from damaging the metal of your water heater tank? This protection is often provided by a sacrificial anode rod installed in your unit.

What Is a Sacrificial Anode Rod?

As the name suggests, a sacrificial anode rod is a long metal rod that hangs down from the top, inside the water heater. It “sacrifices” itself by attracting the corrosion and mineral buildup that otherwise would decay the hot water tank. As the water eats away at your sacrificial anode rod, it leaves the metal of your water heater tank untouched. Check this rod every couple of years. When heavily corroded (as in the bottom rod in the picture), replace it.

What causes some sacrificial rods to corrode faster than others? Water quality is the primary source of this difference. Hard water will lead to enhanced mineral buildup. On the other hand, water softened by the use of a sodium water softener will corrode the anode rod even faster due to the trace amounts of sodium in the water. If you have a softener you might consider replacing the anode rod every 2-3 years to prevent premature tank failure.

There is another type of anode rod that is available and that is a powered anode rod. Whenever your water heater tank is subjected to corrosive conditions, the magnetic anode rod releases electrons to the interior part of the water heater tank to protect it from corrosion. The powered anode rod combines well with the electrical current to offer an added protection from corrosion and rust. Besides, it increases the lifespan of the water heater tank. Some powered anode rods come with a twenty year warranty and are made of titanium. You will still have to do some maintenance but not as much. Remember they do have to plugged in to a power outlet.

Tankless Water Heater Maintenance

Tankless hot water heaters provide energy efficiency and hot water on demand. They are compact in size, and quickly becoming a popular choice for both residences and businesses. Like anything else, however, proper maintenance is required. An annual checkup is recommended ensure the components are working properly.

Tankless Water Heater Maintenance Procedure

• Flush and descale of the heat exchanger
• Clean fan and burner assembly
• Clean the air inlet thermistor and filter
• Inspect and clean the igniter and flame sensor
• Clean the entering water filter
• Carefully inspect the vent for proper slope and check for any blockages
• Check gas pressure
• Test fire unit
• Check flow rate
• Check operating temperature

You can perform this maintenance yourself or have a professional do it for you. The largest expense for a DYI project would be the submersible pump and the clothes washer hoses for the vinegar flushing of the tank.

Your MUD Board:
Susan McFarland, President
Lou Tichacek, Vice President
Gary Montgomery, Treasurer
Rex Cambern, Secretary
John Crystal, Assistant Secretary