Preparing for Freezing Temperatures

In the event of freezing temperatures, it’s important to some steps to protect your home.

Protect Your Pipes

Why Pipe Freezing is a Problem – Water expands as it freezes and pipes that freeze most frequently are those that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, water sprinkler lines, and water supply pipes in unheated interior areas like attics, garages or kitchen cabinets. Pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation are also subject to freezing.

How To Prevent Your Pipes From Freezing
  • Drain water from swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines following manufacturer’s or installer’s directions.
  • Remove, drain, and carefully store all hoses that are used outdoors.
  • Both hot and cold-water pipes in unheated areas should be insulated. A hot water supply line can freeze just as easily as a cold-water supply.
  • Consider installing specific products made to insulate water pipes like a “pipe sleeve” or installing UL-listed “heat tape”, “heat cable” or similar materials on exposed or susceptible to freezing water pipes.
  • When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold and hot water drip from the faucet served by pipes that are susceptible to freezing. Running water through the pipe – even at a trickle – helps prevent pipes from freezing because the temperature of the water running through them is above freezing.

If you suspect that the plumbing may be frozen at the point where the pipe goes under the house or in the attic, it is safest to call a plumber as it may be cracked and burst when thawed.

In the event of an emergency, please contact our operator, Municipal District Services, at 281-290-6500. Water running in the street or buckled pavement are signs of a water main break and should be reported immediately.

Notice of Public Hearing on Tax Rate

The CHARTERWOOD M.U.D. will hold a public hearing on a proposed tax rate for the tax year 2023 on October 24, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. at 16444 Cutten Road, Houston, Texas 77070. Your  individual taxes may increase at a greater or lesser rate, or even decrease, depending on the tax rate that is adopted and on the change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other property. The change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in the taxable value of all other property determines the distribution of the tax burden among all property owners.

Visit Texas.gov/PropertyTaxes to find a link to your local property tax database on which you can easily access information regarding your property taxes, including information about proposed tax rates and scheduled public hearings of each entity that taxes your property.

Notice of Public Hearing on Tax Rate (PDF)

City of Houston Enters Stage 2 Drought Response: NHCRWA Follows Suit

The City of Houston (COH), the primary source of water for the North Harris County Regional Water Authority (Authority), has entered stage two of their Drought Contingency Plan, effective on August 27, 2023.  The COH’s drought response calls for mandatory water conservations efforts to reduce water use, that will reduce the daily volume of water delivered.  The Houston Public Works Release can be found under https://cityofhouston.news/stagetwodrought/.

As required by the Authority’s Drought Contingency Plan, the Authority must enter Stage 2 of our Drought Contingency Plan, when the COH enters into Stage 2 water shortage of their Drought Contingency Plan.  The Authority’s Drought Contingency Plan requires that any customer receiving water from the Authority or well owner whose well is included under the Authority’s Harris-Galveston Subsidence District aggregate water well permit:

  • Repair detectible water leaks within 72 hours of discovery;
  • Utilize water conservation measures such as displacement bags, low-flow shower heads and leak detection tablets;
  • Limit outdoor irrigation to the hours 7:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. of the following day on no more than two (2) days per week, in conformity with the following schedule (no watering on Mondays):
    • Sundays and Thursdays for single-family residential customers with even-numbered street addresses
    • Saturdays and Wednesdays for single-family residential customers with odd-numbered street addresses; and
    • Tuesdays and Fridays for all other customers

Compliance with the above requirements is mandatory.

Urgent Water Conservation Notice: Charterwood MUD Adopts Stage 1 of NHCRWA’s Drought Contingency Plan

Charterwood Municipal Utility District is a district within the North Harris County Regional Water Authority (the “NHCRWA”). Please be advised that the NHCRWA has triggered Stage 1 of its Drought Contingency Plan due to climate and weather conditions. NHCRWA is requesting all water users to voluntarily reduce their water usage effective immediately.

Please limit irrigation to no more than two days per week, between 7:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. as follows:

Even numbered street addresses – Sundays and Thursdays

Odd numbered street addresses – Saturdays and Wednesdays

The NHCRWA will continue to monitor water use and will provide another notice if the drought stage changes or if Stage 1 drought conditions have been lifted.

Pilot Gully Walking Trail

Renovation has begun on the Pilot Gully walking trail.

This will continue for several months. Please exercise caution while this work is being performed.

District Updates

Trash – Holiday Trash Schedule for 2023

There are no trash schedules that fall on a Holiday during 2023.

Mosquito Spraying

April 2023 – November 2023, twice weekly.

Water Outage

Please be advised that residents on streets Cedar Point, Crystal Cove, Charterlawn and Chartermoss may experience water outages on Thursday, January 26, 2023, during the hours 10a.m. and 6 p.m. as the district repairs a water line on Charterstone Drive.

Prepare for the Freeze

Protect Your Pipes

Freezing conditions are expected this Thursday evening with low temperatures near below freezing. Be sure to protect your pipes!

Why Pipe Freezing is a Problem – Water expands as it freezes and pipes that freeze most frequently are those that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, water sprinkler lines, and water supply pipes in unheated interior areas like attics, garages or kitchen cabinets. Pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation are also subject to freezing.

How To Prevent Your Pipes From Freezing
  • Drain water from swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines following manufacturer’s or installer’s directions.
  • Remove, drain, and carefully store all hoses that are used outdoors.
  • Both hot and cold-water pipes in unheated areas should be insulated. A hot water supply line can freeze just as easily as a cold-water supply.
  • Consider installing specific products made to insulate water pipes like a “pipe sleeve” or installing UL-listed “heat tape”, “heat cable” or similar materials on exposed or susceptible to freezing water pipes.
  • When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold and hot water drip from the faucet served by pipes that are susceptible to freezing. Running water through the pipe – even at a trickle – helps prevent pipes from freezing because the temperature of the water running through them is above freezing.

If you suspect that the plumbing may be frozen at the point where the pipe goes under the house or in the attic, it is safest to call a plumber as it may be cracked and burst when thawed.

In the event of an emergency, please contact our operator, Municipal District Services, at 281-290-6500. Water running in the street or buckled pavement are signs of a water main break and should be reported immediately.