If you’ve read the recent letter from the Windermere Oaks Water Supply Corporation (WOWSC) Board, you might have walked away thinking our water system is on the brink of collapse. Words like “violations” and “mandated upgrades” can sound scary, especially when they’re presented without context. Our current Board leadership is particularly good at alarmist exaggerations.
Windermere’s Track Record
The Texas Compliance & Enforcement Search Portal is a public tool that lets anyone look up regulatory records for utilities across the state.
To check on Windermere Oaks, you would simply enter “Windermere Oaks Water Supply Corporation” into the search bar. The portal will then display any compliance or enforcement actions recorded by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), including notices of violation, enforcement orders, or penalties. This makes it easy for members to see the official history of violations and confirm whether issues are minor (like paperwork errors) or more serious.
What You Will See
Here is graphic of what you will see. In sum, 1 complaint about low water pressure in 2020. Resolved. One notice of violation in 2022. Another notice of violation in 2024.
When people hear the word “violation,” it’s easy to imagine the worst — unsafe water, health risks, or a system in crisis. But not all violations carry the same weight. In fact, TCEQ Category B Violations sit right in the middle of the severity scale.
Category B violations are intermediate issues. They’re more serious than simple paperwork mistakes, but they don’t rise to the level of immediate health threats. Think of them as warning lights on your car dashboard: they don’t mean the engine is about to explode, but they do mean something needs attention. Common examples are a utility failing to maintain required treatment equipment; Improper operation of wastewater facilities; or repeated monitoring or reporting failures.
These are operational or compliance gaps — important to fix, but not the kind of problems that make your water unsafe overnight.
When TCEQ identifies a Category B violation, the utility usually receives a Notice of Violation (NOV) as you will see in the graphic. This is essentially a formal reminder: “Here’s what went wrong, and here’s the timeframe to correct it.” Utilities are expected to respond quickly, document their fixes, and prevent the issue from recurring.
For consumers, Category B violations are worth noting but not panicking over. They don’t usually pose an immediate health risk, but if ignored, they can snowball into bigger compliance problems. The real danger comes when utilities fail to correct them, allowing small issues to become systemic.
The main takeaway — these were RESOLVED!!!
Why the Alarmist Tone?
SO WHY IS THE BOARD SO ALARMIST AND MISLEADING!!!!
The Board’s letter paints a dire picture, but the facts don’t match the drama. Yes, every utility has maintenance needs. Yes, upgrades cost money. But implying that our community is drowning in dangerous violations simply isn’t accurate.
It’s important to distinguish between real risks and regulatory housekeeping. Otherwise, members are left worrying unnecessarily.
Transparency is good. Accountability is good. But alarmism helps no one especially when we are considering a major sale of our local water utility, knowing that a for-profit company, backed by private equity investors, is going to squeeze our system and us ratepayers at every possible opportunity.
As members, we deserve clear information — not exaggerated claims. The record shows our water system has been safe, with only minor administrative hiccups in the last ten years.
So the next time you see “TCEQ violation” in a headline or letter from our Narcissistic Board, remember: context matters.
