Weather

As we enter peak hurricane season, your safety is our top priority. Please review the following waste collection guidelines to help us serve you efficiently after a storm:

🗑️ First Week After the Storm

• Priority Collection: We focus on removing perishable waste (e.g., spoiled food) due to power outages.
• Regular Trash Pickup: Resumes as conditions allow.
• Lawn Waste: Temporarily suspended during the emergency phase.

🌿 After the Emergency Phase

• Grass Clippings: Use clear or brown paper bags (recommended, not required).
• Household Trash: Use white bags (recommended, not required).
• Important: Keep all bags separate from storm debris. (recommended to be in black bags)

🌳 What Counts as Storm Debris?

Storm debris includes materials from hurricanes, floods, or windstorms, such as:

• Fallen trees, branches, and leaves
• Damaged fences, roofing, or water-damaged household items

🚧 How to Prepare Storm Debris

• Place storm debris at the curb, separate from regular trash.
• Refer to the diagram (see picture) for proper placement.

⚠️ Important Reminders

• Storm debris and construction/remodeling waste are not included in standard trash service.
• For full details, visit: www.best-trash.com

With the latest snow forecast for Tuesday, Best Trash will be closed for regular operations tomorrow.

Please see the revised schedule below for the tentative schedule for the rest of the week.

• Monday:    We will run a regular service day.
• Tuesday:    Closed.
• Wednesday: Delayed start.
• Thursday:   Delayed start.

Note: If the landfills close due to inclement weather, we cannot run our routes on those day(s).

The guidelines are subject to change depending on the actual weather conditions.

If we are unable to run our routes on your scheduled service day, your pick-up will be on the next scheduled service day.

If plants die due to the weather, they will be considered storm debris and handled accordingly.

Best wishes, and be safe.

Cinco MUD No. 7 has been placed in the “Stage 1: Mild Drought” stage of its Drought Contingency Plan. In this stage, residents are asked to voluntarily reduce water consumption whenever possible. Please try to remain conscious of your water usage while we all proceed through this together. Every drop counts!

• Even numbered addresses are requested to limit irrigation to Sundays and Thursdays.
• Odd numbered addresses are requested to limit irrigation to Saturdays and Wednesdays
• Irrigation should only be done between the hours of midnight at 10 am or between 8 pm and midnight on designated watering days.

Listed below are some of the many steps that all residents of our community can easily do to reduce consumption.

Ways to Conserve Water in the Yard

• Use a broom, not a water hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks.
• When your kids want to cool off, use the sprinkler were your lawn needs it most.
• Set a timer to remind you when to turn off the sprinklers. A running hose can let out up to 10 gallons of water per minute.
• Water during the early morning or evening hours since evaporation losses will be up to 60 percent higher during the day.
• Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants. Mulch will slow evaporation of moisture while discouraging weed growth.

Ways to Conserve Water in the Bathroom

• When running a bath, plug the bathtub before turning on the faucet. Then, adjust the temperature as the water is running.
• Better yet, take five-minute showers instead of baths. A full bathtub requires up to 70 gallons of water. If you keep your shower under five minutes, you will save up to 1,000 gallons per month.
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and you can save up to four gallons per minute. That equals 200 gallons per week for a family of four.
• Check faucets and shower heads for leaks and make sure you turn them off tightly after each use. One drip every second adds up to five gallons per day. Install aerators and flow reducers in sinks and shower faucets.
• Test your toilets for leaks – toilet leaks can be silent! A good way to check is by putting food coloring in your toilet tank – if it seeps into the bowl without flushing, then there is a leak that needs fixing

Ways to Conserve Water in the Kitchen

• Use your dishwasher- it uses less water than washing dishes by hand. Make sure it is a full load before starting a cycle, and you will save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
• If you have to wash a few pots by hand rinsing, turn the water off when you are not rinsing. Better yet, instead of running the water while you scrub the pots and pans, soak them in soap and water.
• Use a designated water bottle or glass to refill all day, allowing you to cut down the number of glasses to wash.
• Defrost food in the refrigerator rather than running it under the faucet. Cook food in as little water as possible to conserve water and retain more nutrients.
• If you accidentally drop ice cubes, place them in a house plant instead of tossing them in the sink.

Ways to Conserve Water in the Laundry

• Wash only a full load when using an automatic washing machine (32 to 59 gallons are required per load).
• Use the lowest water-level setting possible on the washing machine for light or partial loads.

Winter weather and freezing temperatures are expected this week across Texas. The National Weather Service is forecasting widespread freezing temperatures on Friday and Saturday morning (12/23 – 12/24). In such conditions, it is imperative to protect the “Four P’s”: People, pets, pipes and plants.

People

• Keep warm, stay inside if possible.
• If you need to go out, dress in layers and wear hats, gloves and an appropriate coat.
• Avoid overexertion, as cold weather puts added strain on your body.

Pets

• Bring pets inside, and move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas.
• Keep adequate food and water available.

Pipes

• Disconnect outdoor hoses, drain and store in protected area.
• Wrap exposed faucets and pipes – including those outside the house or in unheated crawl spaces, attics, garages and other areas.

Plants

• Bring potted plants inside or store in garage near interior wall to provide extra warmth and protection from wind.
• For cold-sensitive outdoor plants, put down extra mulch and consider covering with a cloth fabric of some kind to shield the plants from wind and frost.

Additionally, if you have an irrigation system, turn off the water to the system at your backflow preventer and then drain the system so your irrigation pipes and sprinkler heads are not damaged.

As it pertains to the dripping of faucets, we are asking and advising our residents and customers NOT to drip their faucets. This could cause a dip in water pressure at your facility. If you reside within the greater Houston area and are part of the Regional Water Authorities (West Harris County Regional Water Authority, North Fort Bend Regional Water Authority, North Harris County Regional Water Authority), or receive water from the City of Houston, dripping faucets will put a strain on the system resulting in low pressure or even depleting the water system.

The following sites can also be used as a source of information and to keep you updated:

• Forecasts: National Weather Service Houston-Galveston
• Winter Weather Safety: National Weather Service
• Local Road Conditions: Houston TranStar
• State Road Conditions: DriveTexas.org
• Space Heater Safety: National Fire Protection Association
• Draining Your Home Plumbing System: The Spruce

Before a freeze, the District wants to provide helpful instructions to protect your pipes if the weather predictions are for a Hard Freeze.  According to the National Weather Service, a Hard Freeze occurs when the temperature reaches 28 degrees, or lower, for at least a few hours. There are a number of ways to protect the pipes in your home, but the graphics below give instructions on how to drain the internal plumbing, and how to winterize and drain your irrigation system. Additional instructions to protect your pipes are:

1. Unhook any outdoor water hoses attached to your faucets.
2. Wrap outdoor pipes and faucets with foam, rags, or other insulating material. To keep the insulation in place, secure it with string, wire, or tape.
3. Install insulation or covers over outside water faucets.
4. Open cabinet doors under your sinks to provide warm air circulation.
5. Circulate water in your home by allowing at least one sink to drip.
6. Keep the temperature of your home above 55 degrees.