PORTER, Texas – Several homeowners in The Highlands community of Porter say they’re growing increasingly frustrated after finding black sediment in their water, bathtubs, toilet bowls and water filters.
“It’s almost like dirt,” resident Helen Coward told KPRC2’s Re’Chelle Turner.
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While residents say the problem has persisted for months—and in some cases years—the utility district maintains the water is safe to drink and meets all Texas drinking water standards.
Katelyn Crouch says she first noticed the black sediment after moving into The Highlands in 2023.
She shared videos and pictures with KPRC 2 showing dark particles collecting inside her bathtub.
“It does make us uncomfortable with our kids bathing in it, us trying to drink it,” Crouch said.
Crouch says she and her family recently purchased a whole-home filtration system in hopes of reducing the buildup, but says they have not noticed a significant improvement.
“We live here. We pay a lot of money and we just want to have really safe water for our kids and family,” she said.
Helen Coward says she’s been dealing with the issue for about a year. While visiting her home on Wednesday, she removed a faucet attachment to show what had accumulated inside.
“See, it’s almost like dirt. It just disintegrates,” she said.
She showed Turner the filter attached to her faucet, explaining that she’s constantly replacing filters because of the black buildup.
“It’s annoying. I mean, we have the filter in the fridge or we drink bottled water, but I’m concerned with that going on your skin in the showers,” Coward said. “I’m no longer giving them the tap water, the dog and the cat, because of those bits.”
Coward says she still isn’t convinced by the explanation she’s received.
“Would they want to drink this?” she asked.
Utility: Water meets state standards
In a statement to KPRC 2, Montgomery County Municipal Utility District No. 140 said it is aware of residents’ concerns.
“Montgomery County MUD No. 140 is aware of reports regarding black sediment observed in some water. The district’s public drinking water is regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and is routinely tested in accordance with all applicable regulatory requirements. Based on all water quality analyses, including the most recent testing, the water meets applicable TCEQ drinking water standards.”
Turner requested additional information, the district’s operator, Municipal Operations & Consulting, Inc., said the black sediment is caused by naturally occurring deposits of manganese in the groundwater.
The district maintains that routine testing shows the water continues to meet all Texas drinking water standards.
What is manganese?
Manganese is a naturally occurring mineral that can be found in soil and groundwater.
According to the utility district, the black sediment residents are seeing is the result of naturally occurring manganese deposits in the groundwater supplying the system.
Residents, however, say they still want to understand why they’re seeing so much buildup inside their homes and whether anything can be done to reduce it.
KPRC2 has also reached out to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for additional information, including whether the agency has received complaints involving black sediment in Montgomery County MUD No. 140 and what guidance it offers homeowners experiencing similar issues.
For now, homeowners say they’re hoping for more than reassurance—they want a clearer explanation for why the black sediment continues to appear in their homes.