Large metal boxes appearing along streets and public right-of-way areas in Houston neighborhoods have caught the attention of residents, prompting questions to KPRC 2’s ENOUGH team.
Our ‘DRAINED’ Investigation into the Houston water department means we get a lot of questions about water in Houston. So, when these devices started popping up around town, Amy Davis got questions about it.
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Here is your answer! The five-foot-tall metal structures are water sampling stations connected to the public water supply, Houston Public Works confirmed.
What the green boxes are
Houston Public Works told KPRC 2 the city has approximately 450 of the stations installed across its main water system. About 100 more are being added in the Kingwood area, with installation expected to take roughly three months.
The stations sit in public right-of-way areas and are used by city crews to assess the quality of the public water supply.
Why the city switched
State regulations require all public water systems to routinely monitor drinking water distribution systems for bacteria and disinfection residual levels under the Revised Total Coliform Rule, or RTCR.
Historically, the city collected water samples from hose bibs at private homes and businesses. In 2021, Houston Public Works chose to transition from that method to dedicated sampling stations located in public right-of-way areas.
How testing works
Water is tested monthly at the sampling stations, according to Houston Public Works. Results that do not meet standards are reported to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, known as TCEQ.
TCEQ is aware of the installation of the sampling stations, the city said.
Customers can stay up to date on their public water system by using Texas Drinking Water Viewer (https://dwv.tceq.texas.gov/). Drinking Water Viewer is a live database that contains information about the quality of your drinking water, including all analytical results, and your public water system’s compliance with state regulations. Coliform samples can be viewed by clicking on the “Microbial/Coliform” link under the “Samples” icon in the navigation menu. https://youtu.be/kNFLF29lWRA?si=VYRe2_v0q3v1Y0ph
What this means for residents
The transition to dedicated sampling stations removes the burden of water testing from private homeowners and businesses and moves collection to neutral, city-controlled locations.
What you can do
If residents see water quality issues such as discolored or brown water, they can report the problem to Houston’s 3-1-1 line and request a service case number.