The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has notified the STARRVILLE-FRIENDSHIP WSC TX2120012 public water system that the drinking water being supplied to customers had exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for total trihalomethanes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has established the MCL for total trihalomethanes to be 0.080 milligrams per liter (mg/L) based on a locational running annual average (LRAA), and has determined that it is a health concern at levels above the MCL. Analysis of drinking water in your community for total trihalomethanes indicates a compliance value in quarter four 2023 of 0.081 mg/L for DBP2-01.

Trihalomethanes are a group of volatile organic compounds that are formed when chlorine, added to the water during the treatment process for disinfection, reacts with naturally‑occurring organic matter in the water.

Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidney, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

You do not need to use an alternative water supply. However, if you have health concerns, you may want to talk to your doctor to get more information about how this may affect you.

We are taking the following actions to address this issue:

On December 22, 2023 a mixer was installed in the storage tank closest to the sample point. This is supposed to reduce the amount of disinfectant byproducts entering the distribution system. We are currently waiting on our first quarter test results to see how well it is working in conjunction with flushing the lines.  As always, you can look at the testing information on the TCEQ Drinking Water Watch at https://dww2.tceq.texas.gov/DWW/.

Please share this information with all people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (i.e., people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

If you have questions regarding this matter, you may contact Ryan Coker at 903-845-2825.