Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District 128

Electric scooters have become a familiar sight across Texas neighborhoods, offering kids and teens a fun and fast way to get around. However, local officials are reminding families that while e-scooters are convenient, they are not toys, and crashes can lead to serious injuries, particularly when riders skip safety gear like helmets.

Safety experts urge parents to talk with their children about rules of the road, personal responsibility, and the importance of following traffic laws. Under Texas law, all riders on public roads must obey the same traffic regulations as other vehicles, including signaling turns and observing posted speed limits.

According to the Texas Transportation Code §551.352, motor-assisted scooters can operate on certain roadways and sidewalks, but with restrictions:

• Scooters may only be ridden on streets where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less.
• Riders can only cross higher speed roads at intersections.
• Cities and counties can restrict scooter use on specific streets, highways, or sidewalks if it’s deemed necessary for public safety.
• Scooters are also permitted on bike paths and sidewalks, following the same rules that apply to bicycles.
• Vehicle laws that apply to cars or motorcycles generally do not apply to scooters.

Officials note that many major roads in the area exceed the 35 mph limit, meaning scooters are best suited for residential neighborhoods and designated bike paths.

Whether you’re a parent, a teen rider, or simply sharing the road with scooters, the message is the same: Ride smart, follow the law, and put safety first.

As Texas winters become increasingly unpredictable, taking steps to prepare your home for the colder months is more important than ever. Simple, preventative measures now can protect your property, improve energy efficiency, and help you avoid costly repairs. Here are eight practical ways to get your home “Winter Ready”:

Clean Gutters and Inspect the Roof

• Remove leaves and debris from gutters to ensure proper water flow and prevent ice dams that can lead to water damage.
• Check the roof for damaged or missing shingles.
• Trim any overhanging branches to reduce the risk of breakage from ice or wind during storms.

Winterize Your Sprinkler System

• Drain all water from the system at least a week before a hard freeze to prevent pipe damage.
• Contact a licensed irrigation or plumbing professional for thorough winterization.
• For safety, remember to turn off the water and timer, fully drain lines, and insulate exposed parts such as backflow preventers and valves, making sure not to block vents or drains.

Prepare Pool Equipment

• Consult a certified pool maintenance technician for guidance.
• Depending on the weather, your professional may recommend fully shutting down, insulating, and winterizing your pool or running the equipment through winter to keep water moving.

Insulate Exposed Pipes

• Use pipe insulation for plumbing in unheated spaces, such as attics or garages.
• On extremely cold nights, let faucets drip slightly to guard against freezing.
• Disconnect hoses from outdoor spigots and cover both pipes and faucets outdoors.

Seal Gaps Around Doors and Windows

• Inspect doors and windows for drafts and use weatherstripping or caulk to close any gaps.
• Sealing these openings helps your heating system run more efficiently and keeps your indoor spaces warmer.

Service Your Heating System

• Schedule a professional checkup for your furnace or heater.
• Replace air filters, clean ducts, and verify everything works correctly.
• Regular maintenance boosts efficiency and reduces the risk of breakdowns just when you need heat the most.

Check Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

• Test all detectors and replace batteries as needed.
• With greater heater use during winter, keeping these safety devices working properly becomes even more crucial.

Stock Up on Winter Supplies

• Prepare for the possibility of power outages or blocked roads by keeping water, non-perishable foods, flashlights, blankets, and other essentials on hand.
• Having emergency provisions ready ensures comfort and safety during unexpected winter events.

By following these steps, you’ll protect your home and ensure the comfort and safety of everyone inside. For further updates on local weather or impacts to municipal facilities, check the Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 128 website regularly.

Share these tips with your neighbors to help your community thrive throughout the winter season.

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As temperatures begin to drop, homeowners should take time to prepare their plumbing systems for cold weather. Frozen and burst pipes are among the most common—and costly winter home repairs. They can cause water loss, structural damage, and unnecessary strain on the community’s water system.

Taking preventive action before the first hard freeze can save time, money, and frustration later. Here’s what you need to know about why pipes freeze, how to protect them, and what to do if one does.

Understanding Why Pipes Freeze

When temperatures fall below freezing, the water inside pipes can solidify. As it freezes, water expands and creates pressure inside the pipe walls. If the pressure becomes too great, the pipe can crack or burst—sometimes in multiple locations.

The risk is highest for:

• Outdoor spigots and garden hose connections
• Pipes in unheated areas like attics, garages, basements, and crawl spaces
• Pipes running along exterior walls where insulation is minimal
• Vacant homes where heating systems are turned down or off

Even a small crack from a frozen pipe can release hundreds of gallons of water once thawed. This not only causes damage inside your home but also increases demand on the local water supply and wastewater systems.

Indoor Pipe Protection Tips

Inside your home, simple steps can prevent freezing:

1. Insulate exposed pipes — Wrap pipes with foam sleeves or fiberglass insulation, especially in areas like under sinks, along outside walls, or in unheated basements.
2. Keep cabinet doors open — On particularly cold nights, open the doors under sinks to allow warm air to circulate around plumbing.
3. Allow a small trickle of water — Running water, even at a slow drip, can help prevent freezing by keeping water moving through the pipes.
4. Maintain a consistent indoor temperature — Keep your thermostat set no lower than 55°F, even if you’re leaving home for a few days.
5. Seal drafts and leaks — Use caulk or insulation to seal gaps around windows, doors, and wall penetrations where cold air can enter near pipes.

Outdoor Plumbing and Yard Preparation

Outdoor plumbing and irrigation systems are especially vulnerable to cold weather:

• Disconnect and drain garden hoses — Leaving hoses attached can trap water inside outdoor faucets, causing them to burst.
• Install faucet covers — Insulated covers or wrap-around insulation materials provide an extra layer of protection for outdoor spigots.
• Shut off and drain sprinkler systems — Follow the manufacturer’s instructions or contact your irrigation professional to winterize your sprinkler lines.
• Locate and insulate your backflow preventer — If your irrigation system has one, ensure it’s drained and properly protected from freezing.

What To Do If a Pipe Freezes

If you turn on a faucet and only a small trickle of water comes out, it could mean a pipe is frozen.

Here’s what to do:

1. Keep the faucet open — As the frozen section begins to melt, running water will help thaw it faster.
2. Apply gentle heat — Use a hair dryer, heating pad, or warm towel. Start warming the pipe near the faucet and work back toward the frozen section.
3. Never use open flames — Torches, lighters, or gas heaters are dangerous and can cause fires.
4. If you can’t find the frozen area, call a licensed plumber — They can safely thaw the pipe and check for damage.

If a pipe bursts, immediately shut off your home’s main water valve and call a plumber or your local water utility for emergency assistance.

Protecting Vacant or Seasonal Homes

If you plan to travel or own a property that won’t be occupied this winter:

• Shut off the main water supply and drain all pipes by running faucets and flushing toilets.
• Leave cabinet doors open and set the thermostat to at least 55°F.
• Ask a trusted neighbor or caretaker to periodically check the property, especially during extended cold spells.

Community Impact: How Your Preparation Helps Everyone

When individual homeowners protect their plumbing, it benefits the entire community. Burst pipes can lead to large, sudden water losses that lower system pressure and increase treatment costs for everyone. During hard freezes, multiple leaks can also strain your Utility District’s infrastructure and water supply.

By taking steps to insulate, drain, and protect your plumbing, you help:

• Reduce unnecessary water loss
• Preserve steady water pressure for fire protection and household use
• Preventing flooding and contamination risks
• Lower long-term maintenance and repair costs for the District

Stay warm, stay prepared, and protect your pipes this winter.

Winterizing your plumbing system is one of the most effective ways to safeguard your home and contribute to the reliability of your community’s water system. With a few hours of preparation now, you can prevent days—or weeks—of inconvenience and expensive repairs later.

For more information on water safety, leak detection, and emergency contact information, please visit your local Utility District’s website or contact the District office.

Holidays are a prime time for vacations. Unfortunately, it is also a prime time for residential burglaries. This is due to lawbreakers preying on traveling families and homes that seem to be empty for extended periods of time.

Below are some helpful ideas to protect your home and deter criminals:

• Set up home security cameras with motion sensors and bright lighting. Set these up with random timers to keep thieves from detecting a pattern.
• Keep the exterior of your home clear with open spaces.
• Get to know your neighbors. Neighbors are much more likely to notice suspicious activity within the neighborhood and report it.
• Put your mail on hold with USPS Hold Mail. This will keep your confidential information in a safe place till you return (for up to 30 days).
  https://faq.usps.com/s/article/USPS-Hold-Mail-The-Basics
• Set up a Vacation Watch with Fort Bend County Sheriff’s office so they can monitor your home while you are out of town.

The link provided below will guide you through the set-up process:

Vacation Watch

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As the holidays approach, Fort Bend County MUD 128 wants to remind residents to be mindful of what goes down the drain. Fat, oil, and grease (often called F.O.G.) might seem harmless when warm, but once cooled, they can cause major plumbing and environmental problems.

Understanding F.O.G.

• Fats include items like peanut butter, shortening, meat trimmings, poultry skin, and dairy products such as milk, sour cream, or ice cream. These remain solid at room temperature.
• Oils such as vegetable oil, salad dressing, and cooking oil are liquid when used but can cling to pipes.
• Grease includes gravy, mayonnaise, bacon drippings, and melted meat fat. Though they start as liquids, they solidify after cooling and create blockages over time.

Why It Matters

When fat, oil, or grease goes down the drain, it can build up inside pipes. This accumulation restricts water flow, leading to backups that can push raw sewage into homes or leak into the environment. These overflows pollute waterways and pose health risks for people, fish, and wildlife and can also result in expensive repairs to both household plumbing and community infrastructure.

How to Dispose of F.O.G. Safely

• Let fats, oils, and grease cool in the pan before cleanup.
• For small amounts, wipe out residue with paper towels and toss it in the trash.
• For larger amounts, pour the cooled grease into a sealable container or bottle for disposal at a recycling center.
• Use sink strainers to catch food scraps and solids.
• Products like cat litter can help solidify grease, making it safe to discard.
• Running hot water and soap won’t eliminate grease buildup; it only delays the problem.

Let’s Keep Drains Clear

Thanksgiving and Christmas are the worst times of year for F.O.G. blockages because of all the holiday cooking and frying. Do your part this season by keeping fats, oils, and grease out of your drains. A few simple steps can prevent costly repairs, protect local waterways, and keep our community systems running smoothly.

Encourage friends and neighbors to do the same by sharing this message. Together we can build a cleaner, safer community.

Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 128 Board of Directors, wants to remind residents not to put items down a storm drain for several important reasons:

• Clogs and Flooding: Leaves and grass can block the natural flow of water in the storm drainage system, causing water to back up, which leads to localized flooding during rain events. This increases maintenance costs and efforts to clear clogged drains.
• Water Pollution: Storm drains do not treat water, instead they carry everything directly to local creeks, rivers, or lakes. When yard waste decomposes in the drainage system, it adds excess nutrients (like nitrogen and phosphorus) to waterways, promoting algae blooms that deplete oxygen, potentially killing fish and harming aquatic life.
• Transport of Harmful Chemicals: Grass and leaves may carry fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. When these chemicals enter storm drains, they flow untreated into waterways, contaminating the ecosystem and harming wildlife.
• Habitat for Pests and Maintenance Issues: Accumulated organic debris in storm drains can provide breeding grounds for insects and rodents, creating further urban health hazards, and contributing to increased maintenance needs.
• Legal Consequences: In some locations, sweeping or dumping leaves and grass into storm drains is a violation of municipal waste laws and may result in citations or fines.

Another eco-friendly approach is to compost leaves and grass or use community yard waste pickup services, rather than sending them down storm drains.

Please share with your neighbors and landscapers.

 

The Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 128 Board would like to remind residents of how small everyday actions can positively impact local waterways. You can employ smarter lawn care by using fertilizer and pesticides carefully to prevent runoff, cleaning up pet waste to reduce bacteria entering water systems, draining pool and spa water responsibly to protect fish and plants, and preventing illegal dumping and trash by keeping oil, paint, and chemicals out of storm drains. Let’s work together to protect creeks, ponds, and aquatic life by promoting responsible behavior in the community.