Water has been Restored
WATER HAS BEEN RESTORED!! The water main has been repaired and Inframark will now begin the hydrant flushing process throughout the districts to remove any excess air in the lines.
Emergency Water Main Repair
Inframark will be performing an emergency water main repair close to Ault Elementary School . Residents may experience lower than normal water pressure during the repair process. Our crews are working diligently to complete this repair in a timely manner. For further information please call the Inframark 24 hour Customer Service at 281-579-4200 or visit our website at www.inframark.com
Due to the large amount of water that was lost due to the water main damage near Ault Elementary, we are asking customers to voluntarily refrain from lawn watering for the next few hours. Thank you for your cooperation.
Freezing Weather Notification
Winter weather and freezing temperatures are expected this week across Texas. The National Weather Service is forecasting widespread freezing temperatures on Friday and Saturday mornings. Residents should closely monitor media and the National Weather Service for updates to the forecast. We wanted to assure you that the teams at Inframark are monitoring and working diligently in preparation for a freezing weather event to safeguard your facilities. It is also important that you take action as well in protecting the “Four P’s”: People, pets, pipes and plants.
People
- Keep warm, stay inside if possible.
- If you need to go out, dress in layers and wear hats, gloves and an appropriate coat.
- Avoid overexertion, as cold weather puts added strain on your body.
Pets
- Bring pets inside, and move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas.
- Keep adequate food and water available.
Pipes
- Disconnect outdoor hoses, drain and store in protected area.
- Wrap exposed faucets and pipes – including those outside the house or in unheated crawl spaces, attics, garages and other areas.
Plants
- Bring potted plants inside or store in garage near interior wall to provide extra warmth and protection from wind.
- For cold-sensitive outdoor plants, put down extra mulch and consider covering with a cloth fabric of some kind to shield the plants from wind and frost.
Additionally, if you have an irrigation system, turn off the water to the system at your backflow preventer and then drain the system so your irrigation pipes and sprinkler heads are not damaged.
The following sites can also be used as a source of information and to keep you updated:
Where you can learn more:
- Forecasts: National Weather Service Houston-Galveston
- Winter Weather Safety: National Weather Service
- Local Road Conditions: Houston TranStar
- State Road Conditions: DriveTexas.org
- Space Heater Safety: National Fire Protection Association
Stay safe and stay warm.
HCMUD 396 Thanks James Brown
After more than 22 years as a director on Harris County MUD 354 and Harris County MUD 396, James Brown has resigned his director’s position. On Monday, October 17, 2022, as his final action as a Board member of MUD 396, James presented a check to Nick Leluika of the Swenke PTO to help fund an Inclusive Playground at Swenke. James was a strong proponent of the project. The 396 Board then thanked James for his service and Kathleen Ellison, District attorney, presented him with a plaque.
Water Conservation 2022
Water Conservations: What you need to know
We know living in Texas, water conservation can be inherently more difficult during the summer months and that’s why the EPA and the Texas Water Development Board has published water savings tips that will not only show you how to help conserve water, but also help you conserve cost.
The EPA has recommended the following:
Outdoors
- Maximize the use of natural vegetation and establish smaller lawns. For portions of your lot where a lawn and landscaping are desired, ask your local nursery for tips about plants and grasses with low water demand (such as creeping fescue). Consider planting more trees, shrubs, ground covers, and less grass. Shrubs and ground covers provide greenery for much of the year and usually demand less water. Use native plants in flower beds. Native plants have adapted to rainfall conditions in Texas and often provide good wildlife habitat. Cluster plants that require extra care together to minimize time and save water.
- When mowing your lawn, set the mower blades to 2-3 inches high. Longer grass shades the soil improving moisture retention, has more leaf surface to take in sunlight, allowing it to grow thicker and develop a deeper root system. This helps grass survive drought, tolerate insect damage and fend off disease.
- Only water the lawn when necessary. If you water your lawn and garden, only do it once a week, if rainfall isn’t sufficient. Avoid watering on windy and hot days. Water the lawn and garden in the morning or late in the evening to maximize the amount of water which reaches the plant roots (otherwise most of the water will evaporate). Use soaker hoses to water gardens and flower beds. If sprinklers are used, take care to be sure they don’t water walkways and buildings. When you water, put down no more than 1 inch (set out an empty cans to determine how long it takes to water 1 inch) each week. This watering pattern will encourage more healthy, deep grass roots. Over-watering is wasteful, encourages fungal growth and disease, and results in the growth of shallow, compacted root systems that are more susceptible to drought and foot traffic. If an automatic lawn irrigation system is used, be sure it has been properly installed, is programmed to deliver the appropriate amount and rate of water, and has rain shut-off capability.
- Apply mulch around shrubs and flower beds to reduce evaporation, promote plant growth and control weeds.
- Add compost or an organic matter to soil as necessary, to improve soil conditions and water retention.
- Collect rainfall for irrigation in a screened container (to prevent mosquito larvae growth).
- When washing a car, wet it quickly, then use a bucket of water to wash the car. Turn on the hose to final rinse (or let mother nature wash your car when it rains).
- Always use a broom to clean walkways, driveways, decks and porches, rather than hosing off these areas.
For more information, click below
The EPA has recommended the following:
For Every Room in the House With Plumbing
- Repair leaky faucets, indoors and out.
- Consider replacing old equipment (like toilets, dishwahers and laundry machines).
In the Kitchen
- When cooking, peel and clean vegetables in a large bowl of water instead of under running water.
- Fill your sink or basin when washing and rinsing dishes.
- Only run the dishwasher when it’s full.
- When buying a dishwasher, select one with a “light-wash” option.
- Only use the garbage disposal when necessary (composting is a great alternative).
- Install faucet aerators.
In the Bathroom
- Take short showers instead of baths.
- Turn off the water to brush teeth, shave and soap up in the shower. Fill the sink to shave.
- Repair leaky toilets. Add 12 drops of food coloring into the tank, and if color appears in the bowl one hour later, your toilet is leaking.
- Install a toilet dam, faucet aerators and low-flow showerheads.
Laundry
- Run full loads of laundry.
- When purchasing a new washing machine, buy a water saving model that can be adjusted to the load size.
For more information, click below
The Texas Water Development Board offers water saving ideas and cost savings tips!
Fairfield Trash/Recycling Service Changing
Waste Management, the current residential trash and recycling provider in Fairfield, has moved its staging location and has given notice to the Fairfield MUDs that at the end of its contract it will no longer be able to service Fairfield. After requesting proposals and interviewing three companies, the Fairfield MUDs have selected Best Trash, a local company which has been in business 13 years, as the new provider. Here is what you need to know:
When will trash be picked up?
Best Trash will pick up trash in the carts they provide at the curb twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. The Best Trash carts will be 65 gallons, not 95 gallons. Additional refuse may be placed in other containers (between 30- 50 gallons) or bags (not weighing over 40 pounds) and placed next to the Best Trash provided trash cart. Best Trash will not be using automated trucks, allowing for more flexibility in what it will pick up.
When will recycling be picked up?
Fairfield will be split into two areas for recycling. Best Trash will pick up recycling in the carts they provide at the curb once a week.
- East of Mason—pick up is on Tuesday;
- West of Mason—pick up is on Friday.
What about yard/bulk pickup?
Best Trash will pick up yard and bulk waste twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. Trees, shrubs, brush trimmings and fencing must be no larger than 4 inches in diameter, no more than 4 feet long, tied in bundles not exceeding 40 pounds. The tied bundles is required to allow quick pickup and size limitations are required to avoid damaging the equipment in the compacting process. Items such as appliances, furniture, mattresses, carpet (up to 1 room of carpet, cut less than 4 feet wide, tied in bundles not exceeding 40 pounds), will be picked up on both garbage collection days.
When will the change-over occur?
Waste Management’s last recycling day will be Friday, June 24, 2022. Waste Management’s last waste collection day will be Tuesday, June 28, 2022. Best Trash will commence service on Tuesday, July 1, 2022.
How will I get my Best Trash carts and what do I do with my Waste Management carts?
Best Trash plans to begin delivering its recycling carts to residents on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, and its waste carts on Friday, June 24, 2022. Please do not start using the new carts until July 1, 2022.
Waste Management’s contractor will begin removing the Waste Management recycling carts from residences immediately after service on Friday, June 24, 2022 and they will work over the weekend to collect the recycling carts. MAKE SURE YOUR CART IS EMPTY AND LEAVE IT AT THE CURBSIDE LOCATION FOR PICKUP. If you do not leave the Recycling Cart curbside or you put anything in the Recycling Cart, it will not be removed and there will not be a second trip.
Waste Management’s contractor will begin removing the Waste Management waste carts from residences immediately after service on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. MAKE SURE YOUR CART IS EMPTY AND LEAVE IT AT THE CURBSIDE LOCATION FOR PICKUP. If you do not leave the Waste Cart curbside or you put anything in the Cart, it will not be removed and there will not be a second trip.
Will my cost increase?
Residents pay for their trash and recycling services as part of the base fee on their water bill. The base fee will not increase due to the change in trash providers.
Where can I get more information?
Website: www.best-trash.com
Email: customerservice@besttrashtexas.com
Call: 281-313-2378
Monthly Meeting Update
The Board of Directors of Harris County Water Control & Improvement District No. 155, which manages the drainage channels in Fairfield, has changed its regular meeting date and location to the 4th Monday of the month at 5 p.m. in Fairfield. The Board will meet at the Bradford Creek Clubhouse, 15011 Fairfield Green Circle, or Lakeside Trails Clubhouse, 15125 Country Fair Lane, depending on availability. The public is welcome to attend and participate in the public comments section of the meeting. The public may also attend by teleconference or videoconference as described on the agenda for each meeting.
Hurricane Preparedness 2022
Be ready for hurricane season. Today you can determine your personal hurricane risk, find out if you live in a hurricane evacuation zone, and review/update insurance policies. You can also make a list of items to replenish hurricane emergency supplies and start thinking about how you will prepare your home for the coming hurricane season. If you live in hurricane-prone areas, you are encouraged to complete these simple preparations before hurricane season begins on June 1.
Find out today what types of wind and water hazards could happen where you live, and then start preparing how to handle them. Hurricanes are not just a coastal problem. impacts from wind and water can be felt hundreds of miles inland, and significant impacts can occur regardless of the storm’s strength. Know if you live in an area prone to flooding and if you’re safe to remain in your home.
Find out if you live in a hurricane evacuation zone. You may also need to leave if you live in a flood prone area or in a mobile home outside a hurricane evacuation zone. Now is the time to begin planning where you would go and how you would get there.
You do not need to travel hundreds of miles. Your destination could be a friend or relative who lives in a well built home outside flood prone areas. Remember, your safest place may be to remain home. Be sure to account for your pets in your plan.
As hurricane season approaches, listen to local officials on questions related to how you may need to adjust any evacuation plans based on the latest health and safety guidelines from the CDC and your local officials.
Whether you’re evacuating or sheltering-in-place, you’re going to need supplies not just to get through the storm but for the potentially lengthy and unpleasant aftermath. Have enough non-perishable food, water and medicine to last each person in your family a minimum of 3 days (store a longer than 3-day supply of water, if possible). Electricity and water could be out for at least that long. You’ll need extra cash, a battery-powered radio and flashlights. You may need a portable crank or solar-powered USB charger for your cell phones.
If you need to go to a public shelter, follow health guidelines from your local officials and the CDC.
Call your insurance company or agent and ask for an insurance check-up to make sure you have enough insurance to repair or even replace your home and/or belongings. Remember, home and renters insurance doesn’t cover flooding, so you’ll need a separate policy for it.
Flood insurance is available through your company, agent, or the National Flood Insurance Program at floodsmart.gov. Act now, as flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period.
- FLASH Insurance Guide: If Disaster Strikes, Will You Be Covered?
- Find available coverage at floodsmart.gov
Whether you’re evacuating, or planning to ride out the storm in your home, make sure it is in good repair and up to local hurricane building code specifications to withstand wind impacts. Many retrofits are not as costly or time consuming as you may think.
Have the proper plywood, steel or aluminum panels to board up the windows and doors. Remember, the garage door is the most vulnerable part of the home, so it must be able to withstand the winds.
If you’re a renter, work with your landlord now to prepare your home for a storm.
- FLASH: How-To Videos
- Protect Your Home From Flooding Video (English/Spanish)
Many people rely on their neighbors before and after a disaster, and there are many ways you can help them. Learn about all the different actions you and your neighbors can take to prepare and recover from the hazards associated with hurricanes.
Start the conversation now with these Neighbor Helping Neighbor strategies but remember you may need to adjust your preparedness plans based on the latest health and safety guidelines from the CDC and your local officials.
The time to prepare for a hurricane is before the season begins, when you have the time and are not under pressure. If you wait until a hurricane is on your doorstep, the odds are that you will be under duress and will make the wrong decisions.
Take the time now to write down your hurricane plan. Know who issues evacuation orders for your area, determine locations on where you will ride out the storm, and start to get your supplies now. Being prepared before a hurricane threatens makes you resilient to the hurricane impacts of wind and water. It will mean the difference between being a hurricane victim or a hurricane survivor.
Operation and Use of Fairfield Regional Detention Facility
One of the most important functions of the Fairfield Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs), consisting of Harris County MUD Nos. 322, 354, 358, 396, and 397, is to provide drainage and detention facilities for the Fairfield community. One of the central drainage and detention features of the Fairfield community is the approximately 400-acre regional detention facility site located south of State Highway 290, and west of Fry Road, just north of Cypress Creek, as generally shown on the above map. The Fairfield MUDs and the Harris County Flood Control District (Flood Control) operate and maintain the property for drainage and detention purposes for the benefit of the Fairfield community. The facilities on the property currently include a regional detention basin, control structure, and approximately 30-acre levee. The property is maintained solely as a drainage and detention facility, and neither the MUDs nor Flood Control has constructed any park or recreational facilities on the property. In addition, the property is not and has never been open for public access.
Over the years, the Fairfield MUDs received reports of isolated incidents of individuals accessing the property for recreational purposes. Starting more than a decade ago, the Fairfield MUDs installed certain fencing, locked gates, and no trespassing signs at known or suspected access points to try to deter trespassing incidents, particularly in light of potential safety risks to residents posed by the levee and associated facilities, and the risk of damage to critical MUD and Flood Control drainage and detention infrastructure. Nevertheless, in early 2020, as more individuals began to spend additional time at home during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the land surrounding the property continued to develop, the Fairfield MUDs began to receive a significantly greater number of reports of trespassing incidents on the property.
In response to these reports, the Fairfield MUDs installed security cameras and worked with the Harris County Constable’s Office, Precinct 4 and the MUDs’ maintenance contractor to enhance security measures and enforcement to prevent unauthorized access to the property and to deter future trespassing incidents. During the course of these efforts, the MUDs discovered that individuals had damaged the property by constructing unauthorized trails, bike ramps, and other facilities on the property. The Fairfield MUDs also experienced theft of security cameras and no trespassing signs on multiple occasions. Repairing the damage and replacing the stolen property cost the Fairfield MUDs thousands of dollars. However, the enforcement efforts have been successful in reducing the number of trespassing incidents.
In late fall 2020, the Fairfield MUDs were approached by a local biking group, which requested that the MUDs consider opening the property for recreational use. The group acknowledged constructing unauthorized trails and bike ramps and accessing the property without permission. They stated they had asked their members to cease unauthorized access to the property, and they requested to partner with the Fairfield MUDs and Flood Control to open the property for recreational use. The Fairfield MUDs also received correspondence from individuals, many of whom were non-Fairfield residents, requesting that the property be opened for public recreational use.
MUDs in Harris County, like the Fairfield MUDs, currently are authorized to construct and maintain parks and recreational facilities. However, MUDs were not granted those powers until the 2000s, well after the Fairfield MUDs were created and began operating. As a result, the agreement between the Fairfield MUDs for the construction and operation of regional facilities like the property provides that the property will be operated and maintained for its intended drainage and detention facility purposes. The agreement does not provide a funding mechanism for the Fairfield MUDs to construct and maintain parks or recreational facilities on the property. This means the Fairfield MUDs each would have to contribute additional funds if any parks or recreational facilities were going to be developed and operated on the property.
The Fairfield MUDs each carefully considered the request to open the property for recreational use. Ultimately, due to significant concerns regarding potential damage to critical drainage and flood control infrastructure, safety, potential liability, and cost, the Fairfield MUDs determined to continue operating the property solely for drainage and detention purposes and to deny the request to open the property for recreational use. Although the Fairfield MUDs understand that parks and recreational facilities can be a beneficial part of any community, the MUDs do not want to take any action that could potentially negatively impact the drainage and detention functionality of the property or increase flood risk. Additionally, due to federal, state, and local regulatory requirements for parks and recreational facilities operated by local governments like MUDs, and the large acreage and rugged terrain of the property, the Fairfield MUDs expect that developing safe, accessible parks or recreational facilities on the property while still protecting the critical flood control infrastructure could be cost prohibitive.
The Fairfield MUDs will continue enforcement efforts to prevent and deter unauthorized access and damage to the property. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in protecting this important flood control feature for our community.