Utilities

Drinking water in Mesquite originates at Lavon Reservoir in Wylie, Texas. The water levels in Lavon are supplemented by raw water from Lake Texoma, Lake Jim Chapman, Lake Tawakoni, the Upper Sabine Basin Supply Project, the East Fork Raw Water Supply Project and Lake Bonham.

The drinking water in Mesquite is treated by the North Texas Municipal Water District, located in Wylie. Mesquite is one of thirteen member and many customer cities purchasing treated water from NTMWD. In addition to Mesquite customer cities include Garland, Richardson, Frisco, Allen, Plano and others.

The City of Mesquite currently operates three pumping stations with an estimated delivery capacity of 67,794,000 gallons per day. In addition, there are four overhead storage tanks holding a total of 9.5 million gallons of potable water.

Wastewater is treated at the Mesquite Regional Treatment Plant on Lawson Road. The treatment plant is located adjacent to the Compost Facility and Citizens Convenience Center. The treatment plant is operated by the wastewater division of the North Texas Municipal Water District.

White or milky looking water is caused by air. The milky appearance is the result of millions of small air bubbles released into the water by cooler water temperatures or air trapped in the distribution system. If a glass of this discolored water stands for a short period of time, the air will migrate to the top of the glass then dissipate.

Brown or yellow water is caused by leaching of oxidized iron in cast iron water mains. The water at such times is harmless although aesthetically unpleasant. If a citizen experiences discolored water please call 972-216-6278 for assistance.

If the material looks or feels like a plastic product, it is the dip tube located in the hot water heater. Many plastic dip tubes deteriorate with time and must be replaced. It is recommended that a licensed plumber perform this task. This became a common problem when manufacturers began using plastic dip tubes some years ago.

If the particles do not appear to be plastic and crumble easily in your hand, they are from mineral build up in the hot water heater. As water is heated the minerals such as calcium and magnesium cling together and settle out of the water into the bottom of the hot water heater. Flush the heater periodically to rid it of these particles.

When water is boiled, calcium in the water is dissipated from the water which then clings to the surface in which it is boiled.

Mesquite's water is considered moderately hard. The hardness level can vary from month to month, but averages between 93 and 134 milligrams per liter. For reference when purchasing a new washing machine, the hardness levels calculate from 5.44 to 7.84 grains per gallon.

Although there is natural fluoride in the raw water, additional fluoride is added by NTMWD during treatment. The fluoride is added for the prevention of tooth decay in young children.