HCMUD 360 residents, it is time to prepare for colder temperatures!

How can District residents prepare? Practice the “Four P’s” as the cold fronts set in:

People:

• Dress in warm clothing, wear coats and gloves when outdoors.
• Protect children and the elderly. Never leave them in a cold place or vehicle.
• Temperatures are predicted to be in the teens Monday night and Tuesday morning.

Pets:

• Bring your pets indoors.
• Provide a warm, safe place for them to eat and sleep.

Pipes:

• Prevent frozen pipes and damage to your home by opening the cabinets under the kitchen and bathroom sinks to allow warm air to circulate and warm the pipes.
• Insulate outdoor faucets and exposed pipes and be sure to disconnect and drain hoses from outdoor spigots.

Plants:

• Protect plants from freezing by covering them with plant-cover fabric, or a light blanket with plastic sheeting on top of it.
• Hydrate plants early so they can absorb and stay healthy through the cold.

Additionally, there are a few vehicle-safety tips to observe during winter weather:

• Keep your gas tank full.
• Have tire pressure checked.
• Have a phone charger, first aid kit, blankets, and jumper cables in your car.
• Check local road conditions at www.houstontranstar.org. State highway information available at www.drivetexas.org.

Lastly, Fire Departments have provided some safety tips surrounding space heaters and other supplemental heating sources during the colder days:

• Never leave a space heater unattended or a child unattended with a space heater.
• Keep all combustible materials (including yourself!) at least three (3) feet away from the heater.
• Never overload outlets or breakers.
• Do not use extension cords for the heater.
• Always turn it off if leaving the room and/or going to sleep.

The National Weather Service is projecting a category 3 hurricane, Laura, to make landfall sometime late Wednesday or early Thursday along the Texas coast between Freeport and the Texas-Louisiana border.

Based on these projections, we urge all residents to secure any loose items; bring garbage cans in off the street; clear any drains on or near your property of trash can lids, floating bags, grass clippings, limbs, and leaves; and move cars to higher ground in order to try and prevent storm drains from getting clogged and vehicles/property from being damaged.

For additional information and future updates, please visit the National Weather Service.

For Hurricane Preparedness resources, please visit www.mdswater.com/hurricane-preparedness.

The NHCRWA fee on your water bill is imposed by the North Harris County Regional Water Authority to fund surface water conversion as mandated by the State of Texas. NHCRWA increased their fee effective July 1, 2020 from $4.30 per thousand gallons to $4.70 per thousand gallons. Harris County MUD 360 does not control this fee, which is a direct pass through cost, with increases expected annually.

For additional information, please visit www.NHCRWA.org.