CROSBY – Teague Harris of Crosby Municipal Utility District (CMUD) visited the Crosby-Huffman Chamber of Commerce Thursday and spoke of neighborhood developments, annexation processes and potential provision of water and sewer to any big box commercial enterprises that wish to pay for part of the hookup outside of the CMUD current district.
Crosby MUD was established by the Texas Legislature in 1975. Their primary role is maintaining, repairing improving, and expanding the water and sewer ways. Historically, it does not concern itself with drainage issues. It does not have the problems of deep ditch supply venues. Initially, CMUD financed all of its construction though revenue. Some neighboring areas were paying for water and sewer and construction while CMUD expanded only upon garnered revenue. The possibility of financing through ad valorem taxes for construction and expansion exists but CMUD has always been financially conservative. Another factor in the history of CMUD is that it had to go to surface water earlier than many districts, in the early 1990’s.
Mr. Harris first issued the statement that CMUD is pro-growth. He opened his talk with the mention of CMUD now is supplying water and sewer to the new neighborhood near the new high school.
“Treating surface water is very difficult.” Mr. Harris stated as against ground water that is generally more clean.
“In early 2000 Crosby pushed through a tax bond, nobody like taxes but when you are a water district and you need to build things it is one of the ways to get things done. I think CMUD has acted responsibly with their bond funds.”
Another factor is that CMUD has applied for Harris County grants through the Harris County Bond Referendum, it is typically a matching funds grant and we qualify for a fifty fifty grant.
“We just finished expanding our waste water treatment plant.”
“We still struggle with water influx into that system.”
Upcoming is the replacement of six inch lines to 12 inch lines up and down FM 2100.
“What we are in the process of building now is a second surface water treatment facility. So that if we have a problem with one we have another one to operate. That project also benefitted from Harris County Grant money. When both of those are in we should be very well set up for the next ten years, we are ready.”
“In terms of projects going on right now there are two residential projects: Crosby Park Village it is only 60 lots so it is relatively small, on Hare Road. Our biggest development so far is the Pecan Estates Development.”
It was in response to questions that Harris addressed that CMUD had supplied water services to the new Nabor’s petrochemical plant as they had agreed to share some of the expense of expanding the water lines.