City of Laredo updates public water system investigation

The City of Laredo has been working with Southwest Research Institute to conduct the current investigation on the issues regarding the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe and film buildup.

According to the institute, the pipe is predominantly PVC and not a raw and chemical injection by-product. They found the material had indications of degradation due to the presence of carbonyl and polyene. The material is the result of delamination and sloughing. In other words, the thin layer was shedding off from the PVC pipe itself. There is no indication that the material is residue as a mineral buildup from the water and aluminum sulfate.

Utilities Department Expansion of Internal Policies and Operations:

A policy-driven operational plan has been established for the Utilities Department along with equipment and technological improvements that will better address issues in Laredo’s public water system. This new policy identifies new technology that will alert appropriate personnel, including City Management, when there are any changes in the water system that need to be addressed. This includes four analyzers that are expected to be operational within 7 weeks. Until then, staff is manually grabbing samples to test in order to improve the frequency of testing and monitoring on a 24-hour basis.

Reporting and sampling data will be available in the next two weeks via the City of Laredo Utilities’ website for public information purposes and transparency among the community. The website will be updated with Regulatory Compliance Sampling results. The Utilities Department is also expecting to hire a Water Quality Specialist within the next 8 weeks to review sampling results and manage information.

The City of Laredo is looking forward to working with an independent third party agency to help identify deficiencies, offer guidance, and provide operational reporting to City Management, Utilities Department, and the Laredo City Council.

For more information regarding the investigation or operational updates, the community can contact the Utilities Department at 956-721-2000.