City flushing lines, still working with TCEQ

In the last week, The City of Gonzales shut down two water tanks, switched the city over to well reserve tanks and sent water samples to Seguin and Austin.

On Friday morning, City Manager Sean Lally reported on the particulate matter found in the city's drinking water.

According to Lally, as of Thursday, Dec. 21, TCEQ has sampled three areas in the community, including the museum, Victoria College and the Gonzales Independent School District Administration building.

"In these samples the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) found minute amounts of particulate matter," Lally said.

The city is continuing to flush lines, the city manager continued, by opening fire hydrants, which will increase the volume of water pumped through the lines in the affected areas, in an attempt to remove all residual flakes.

"TCEQ has discontinued sampling water in tank number one due to no evidence of flakes being found," Lally said. "This leads staff to believe that the particulate found in the lines is what remains before the city isolated tank number two."

According to Lally the particles may have come from a filter mat in tank two, which is one of the tanks shut down as a precaution.

"When TCEQ permits us to do so, we will be changing out the mat," Lally said.

Lally said the city will keep residents informed as to TCEQ’s final report and any further information that is gathered will be shared.