Public Communications, Sustainability, Water Services

High-quality, inexpensive drinking water remains one of our most essential everyday resources

When you think about it, there’s nothing in your household that you pay less for that significantly impacts your quality of life more than tap water. As National Drinking Water Week ends, let’s be grateful our water is inexpensive and readily available at the touch of your tap – and not ever take that for granted. Continue reading High-quality, inexpensive drinking water remains one of our most essential everyday resources

Public Communications, Water Services

Video: Our water is absolutely safe to drink

In this episode of “Actually…,” Water Resource Coordinator Jennifer Nations says that College Station’s water is quite safe. Only a handful of naturally occurring contaminants have been detected, and the city adds another (chlorine) to disinfect the water and kill germs. Continue reading Video: Our water is absolutely safe to drink

College Station Utilities, Public Communications, Water Services

Is College Station’s drinking water contaminated?

By Jennifer Nations, Water Resource Coordinator

After the recent national headlines about lead contamination in Flint, Mich., and the news stories about poor water quality monitoring practices, you certainly can’t blame people for suspecting our tap water may be unsafe — or even dangerous.

Unfortunately, some businesses have taken advantage of the headlines by spreading misinformation in a misguided attempt to sell water products and services.

Don’t believe them. College Station’s drinking water is safe.

Continue reading “Is College Station’s drinking water contaminated?”

Public Communications, Water Services

New water quality report now available online

By Jennifer Nations, Water Resource Coordinator

Maintaining a high-quality supply of drinking water is a priority for the City of College Station and our Water Services Department.

It’s obviously important to you, too.

In 2011, I posted a blog titled, “Is Your Drinking Water Dangerous?” that described the contents of our annual drinking water quality report. I turned out to be the most popular post since the city started blogging in 2010, attracting almost 7,000 views.

The report contains detailed information about the source of your drinking water, contaminants detected, and the health effects of those contaminants.

Since 1999, we’ve mailed a copy of the report directly to our water customers as required by state law. Back then, the internet was in its infancy and smartphones, tablets and other high-tech communication gadgets still belonged on re-runs of Star Trek.

Continue reading “New water quality report now available online”

City Council, Economic Development, Planning & Development, Water Services

Protecting our water supply during the oil and gas boom

With Brazos County attracting keen interest from the oil and gas industry, many of our residents have become concerned about the environmental impact this activity will have on our area, especially our groundwater.

We sit on the eastern edge of the Eagle Ford Shale, which stretches across South Texas from Laredo to Huntsville. Based on capital invested, industry analysts claim Eagle Ford is the largest oil and gas development in the world, and that Texas could produce more oil by the end of the year than all OPEC countries except Saudi Arabia.

At last count, Brazos County had 515 oil wells and 98 gas wells.

“What you’re seeing unfold in the Eagle Ford (Shale) is probably the greatest energy success story of the 21^st century,” ConocoPhillips exploration official Greg LeVeille said last month. He added that the drilling activity will likely continue for many years.

That bustling activity will undoubtedly have a positive economic impact, but how can we limit the impact to our environment and ensure a safe, high-quality water supply?

Is our water supply at risk? Continue reading “Protecting our water supply during the oil and gas boom”

Public Communications

CS’s five most popular blog posts of 2013

Reaching the end of a year always provides an opportunity for reflection. Like College Station’s population odometer, the number of views to our blog is about to roll over 100,000. Accounting for nearly 10 percent of those views are the five most-popular posts of 2013 (click on the title to read the respective blogs):

No. 5

The greatest B-CS song you may have never heard

Dusted off from the 1960s, this little gem graced the WTAW-AM airwaves and really got creative when touting the positive qualities of the community. Among them: a wide main street, a nuclear reactor and deer hunting that’s “better than it was when the Indians were around.” Not joking. Listen for yourself. Continue reading “CS’s five most popular blog posts of 2013”