An influx of complaints and concerns over Kyle’s water quality led Mayor Travis Mitchell to address to city staff May 21 regarding those problems.
But Tim Samford, Kyle treatment operations manager, reported no issues with the water and said the city is meeting Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) standards.
Per city staff, Kyle residents can reach out to Public Works and receive testing at their home to determine if there are more isolated issues.
Mitchell said he hoped to learn about the city’s water operations and possibly request testing. That came as result of Mitchell detecting an “increase” in the number of complaints.
“People (are) saying that their water smells funny, smells like gas or is so hard that it is causing their shower heads to corrode in some excessive ways,” Mitchell said.
Per city staff, Kyle residents can reach out to the Public Works Department and receive testing at their home to determine if there are more isolated issues.
“Some treated water may have a chlorine smell to it,” Samford said. “Water in some parts of Kyle may have a more noticeable smell than others, but we maintain the correct amounts (of chlorine).”
Chlorine, according to Samford, is the only chemical Kyle adds to the water itself.
If chlorine levels are too high, staff will dilute the water with well water or groundwater until the levels are safe, which can explain differences in smells and tastes.
However, staff says the water should not have a foul taste or smell and any water that does should be reported to the Public Works Department.
Compounding the issue was the recent dam break at Lake Dunlap, operated by the Guadalupe Blanco River Authority (GBRA). However, Samford said the dam break has not had an impact on Kyle’s water quality.
Kyle’s water comes from the Edwards Aquifer and the GBRA, which takes and treats water from several places, including Lake Dunlap. While the Lake Dunlap dam broke, the GBRA was still able to siphon water from the area, which is now more like a river.
While Kyle is moving toward using other water sources following issues at Lake Dunlap, city officials urge residents to practice water conservation methods for the time being.
“There can be circumstances where folks may have something wrong with their system in the way that it’s bringing water to their faucet that smells,” Mitchell said. “It’s wonderful to know that our staff can help with that.”
Residents who experience water issues can contact Kyle Public Works at [email protected] or 512-262-3024.
