NTMWD March 2-30 Maintenance May Cause Taste Changes in Austin Ranch

Austin Ranch residents served by the City of Plano should expect a stronger chlorine taste in tap water during the North Texas Municipal Water District’s annual disinfectant change scheduled March 2–30, 2026, the City of The Colony posted on February 23. The City of The Colony’s notice specifically states the change "only applies to residents in Austin Ranch, where water is purchased from the City of Plano" and adds that it "does not impact the remainder of residents in The Colony."

NTMWD’s public materials state the district will suspend the use of chloramine - a mix of chlorine and ammonia - and use chlorine-only disinfection for the district’s regional treatment and distribution system during the March 2–30 maintenance window. NTMWD has posted the maintenance under the headline "Annual Water System Maintenance Planned March 2 – 30" with the subheadline "Temporary change in water disinfectant is essential for safe drinking water," language drawn from the agency’s news release.

Officials frame the switch as routine system care, intended to maintain pipelines and prepare transmission and distribution lines for warmer months when bacterial growth can increase. NTMWD materials and regional reporting note the district has conducted the annual maintenance for more than 15 years and that the practice is recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for systems that use chloramine.

Water quality assurances accompany the operational message. NTMWD and local reposts warn that "while the water may have a more noticeable chlorine taste or odor, it remains safe to drink and meets all state and federal water quality standards." A district official, Campbell, added, "This routine, temporary adjustment in water disinfectant is essential for maintaining optimal conditions within our pipelines and ensuring year-round water quality," and "He noted the practice does not increase chlorine levels."

Field crews may also perform hydrant flushing during the maintenance to move treated water through lines more quickly. NTMWD materials point to "hundreds of daily water quality tests" conducted in the district’s state-certified laboratory and to monthly and annual water-testing reports available on the NTMWD website for customers who want verification of results.

Public guidance for customers includes straightforward mitigation steps: refrigerate tap water overnight, add a slice of citrus to improve flavor, and for people with skin sensitivities use a crushed 1000 mg vitamin C tablet in bath water to neutralize chlorine. NTMWD encourages customers to review water-quality information on their city or utility website and to consult posted fact sheets, FAQs and infographics before and during the March 2–30 window.

For direct questions, NTMWD lists Kathleen Vaught as media contact and provides its administration address at 501 East Brown Street, P.O. Box 2408, Wylie, TX 75098, and phone 972-442-5405. City of The Colony offices are at 6053 Main Street, The Colony, Texas 75056, phone 972-625-1756. NTMWD’s maintenance is scheduled to conclude March 30, after which affected customers in Austin Ranch should see the system return to its regular chloramine routine.