Water Notice
UPDATE – May 29, 2026
To our NBU customers and the New Braunfels community,
I want to personally address the sanitary sewer overflow that occurred on May 27, 2026, following a severe storm that moved through our area.
First, I want to acknowledge what happened. An estimated 550,000 gallons of untreated wastewater discharged into the Guadalupe River north of Lake Dunlap early Wednesday morning after a temporary loss of power at our Rio Lift Station.
We understand the concern this incident has caused, especially in a community that values and depends on our river system. As we continue evaluating the incident, we have identified a series of failures that contributed to this event.
The Rio Lift Station is designed with two independent power sources from separate substations to provide electricity during outages. During the storm, lightning struck one substation, taking it offline, and the second power source was unavailable due to planned maintenance scheduled before the storm. With both power sources unavailable, the facility experienced a complete loss of power.
Additionally, this facility has a backup battery system or UPS designed to power the system that alerts our control center if power is lost, so crews can respond immediately. The alarm system didnāt work as intended, and our teams were not alerted that the facility had lost power.
At the same time this incident occurred, our NBU electric crews and system operators were responding to widespread storm-related outages that affected approximately 3,400 of our electric customers. The overflow was ultimately discovered by personnel investigating those outages, and wastewater crews were immediately dispatched to respond.
Once the issue was identified, crews worked to safely restore power to the facility. With the primary power source remaining unavailable, additional steps were required to bring backup power online to avoid additional outages or damage to equipment elsewhere in the electric system. Restoring power allowed operations at the facility to resume and stop the release.
Wastewater personnel began assessing site conditions and coordinating response efforts. Crews initiated cleanup and monitoring activities to minimize impacts. Response efforts included disinfecting affected areas and collecting water samples both upstream and downstream of the discharge location, notifying water suppliers and other regulatory agencies.
While these circumstances help explain what occurred, they do not change our responsibility. Our customers expect us to have safeguards in place, and in this instance, those safeguards did not perform as intended. Here at NBU, we own what happened, and we are committed to learning from it.
Since the incident, we have begun implementing additional measures to strengthen our systems and reduce the likelihood of a similar event. These actions include identifying critical facilities near environmentally sensitive areas and increasing testing of backup systems. We are also reviewing the planning, communication and approval processes surrounding maintenance activities at critical facilities, increasing testing and verification of backup systems and alarms, and enhancing staffing and monitoring capabilities during severe weather events.
We have coordinated with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the City of New Braunfels, neighboring agencies and downstream water providers. Testing has concluded. Testing consists of taking samples upstream and downstream of the impacted area. Samples collected are currently at or below the levels upstream from the impacted area.
The Guadalupe River is central to life in New Braunfels. It supports our quality of life, local businesses, tourism, and the natural beauty that makes our community unique. We understand the trust our customers place in us to protect these resources, and we take that responsibility seriously.
We know trust is earned, especially when things do not go as planned. We are committed to being transparent about what happened, what we are learning, and the steps we are taking to strengthen your systems moving forward.
Thank you for your patience, your questions, and your feedback. We remain focused on serving you with the reliability and accountability you expect from us.
Sincerely,
Ryan Kelso
Chief Executive Officer
New Braunfels Utilities
CEO
The facility is designed with two independent powerĀ sourcesĀ from separate substations to provideĀ backup power during outages. During the storm, one substation was taken offline due to a lightning strike. The second source was unavailable because it was already out of service forĀ plannedĀ maintenanceĀ thatĀ had beenĀ plannedĀ in advance of the storm. The overlap of those two conditions resulted in a complete loss of power to the facility.
We are currently reviewing whetherĀ additionalĀ testing frequency or enhanced verification steps are needed for critical facilities like the Rio Lift Station, particularly those near environmentally sensitive areas.Ā
The UPS system is designed to support communication and alarm functions so that operators areĀ immediatelyĀ notified ofĀ a powerĀ loss. In this case, the alarm system did not function asĀ intended, and the issue is being reviewed toĀ determineĀ the specific cause of the failure, including whether it was related to equipment performance, configuration, or storm-related impacts.Ā
The issue was discovered when NBUĀ crewsĀ were actively responding to widespread storm-related outagesĀ and checking infrastructure. While investigating those impacts, personnelĀ identifiedĀ that the lift station was without powerĀ and the overflowĀ andĀ immediatelyĀ requested electric andĀ wastewater crewsĀ forĀ assistance.Ā
Yes.Ā Had the alarm systemĀ functioned as intended, it would have provided earlier notification to operators, allowing crews to respond sooner. This is one of the key areas being evaluated as part of the post-incident review to strengthen detection and response timesĀ in the future.Ā
PlannedĀ maintenance refers toĀ plannedĀ work on infrastructure that is necessary toĀ maintainĀ system reliability, safety, and performance. In many cases, this work must beĀ plannedĀ in advanceĀ based on contractor availability, system conditions, and operational requirements. In this instance, the maintenance had beenĀ plannedĀ prior to the storm event and was already underway when conditions changed.
Water quality monitoringĀ in the NBU systemĀ is ongoing and will continue in coordination with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and other partner agencies.Ā Downstream water purveyors were notified, and each agency conducts itsĀ own monitoring and testing.Ā Ā Ā
Testing has concluded.Ā Testing consistsĀ of takingĀ samples upstream and downstream of impactedĀ area.Ā Ā Samples collectedĀ areĀ currentlyĀ at or below the levels upstream from the impacted area.Ā Ā Ā
Since the incident, we have begun implementingĀ additionalĀ measures to strengthen our systems and reduce the likelihood of a similar event.Ā These actions includeĀ identifyingĀ criticalĀ facilitiesĀ near environmentally sensitive areasĀ and increasing testing of backup systems. We are also reviewing the planning, communication and approval processes surrounding maintenance activities at critical facilities, increasing testing and verification of backup systems and alarms, and enhancing staffing and monitoring capabilities during severe weather events.Ā
NBU has issued a WATER NOTICE – May 27, 2026
New Braunfels Utilities responded to a sanitary sewer overflow early Wednesday morning after a storm system appeared to have caused a temporary power outage at the Rio Bar Screen Facility, located at 470 Rio Lane. The outage resulted in an unauthorized discharge of an estimated 550,000 gallons of wastewater into the Guadalupe River north of Lake Dunlap.
Timeline of Events
- Approximately 1:00 a.m. ā A storm system from last night appears to have caused a temporary power outage. Wastewater began discharging from a manhole at the facility into the Guadalupe River north of Lake Dunlap.
- Approximately 4:00 a.m. ā Power was restored, normal operations resumed and the overflow stopped.
- Early Morning Hours ā NBU crews responded immediately to contain the release, begin cleanup operations, disinfect affected areas and initiate upstream and downstream water quality sampling.
Response & Cleanup Efforts
NBU crews are actively working to remediate the affected area and minimize environmental impacts. Current response efforts include:
- Removing debris from impacted ground areas
- Applying disinfectant treatments to reduce bacteria and contamination
- Conducting water quality sampling upstream and downstream of the discharge location
- Monitoring water quality conditions until sample results return to normal levels
There is no impact on NBUās drinking water system. We recognize how important our river system is to our community, local businesses, and tourism. Based on initial observations, the overflow appears to have been significantly diluted by stormwater runoff and river flow conditions. However, all recreational river use should follow local guidelines.
NBU is communicating with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and following all required reporting and notification procedures related to the incident. Additionally, NBU is coordinating with the City of New Braunfels, neighboring agencies and downstream water purveyors to inform them of the occurrence.
If you have questions or need assistance, please contact NBU at 830.629.8400.
AroundĀ 1Ā a.m. on Wednesday, May 27,Ā aĀ stormĀ system caused a temporary power outageĀ at NewĀ BraunfelsĀ UtilitiesāĀ RioĀ Bar ScreenĀ FacilityĀ locatedĀ atĀ 470 Rio Lane,Ā resulting inĀ untreatedĀ wastewater overflow that entered the Guadalupe River near Lake Dunlap through a nearby storm drain.Ā
The outage resulted in an unauthorized dischargeĀ ofĀ an estimatedĀ 550,000Ā gallonsĀ of wastewaterĀ into the Guadalupe RiverĀ north of Lake Dunlap.
Yes. The overflow stopped after power was restoredĀ to the lift station around 4Ā a.m.Ā
There is no impact on NBUās drinking waterĀ system,Ā and there is no need to boil your water.Ā
No, nearby wells are not affected by this incident.Ā Ā
We recognize how important our river system is to our community, local businesses and tourism. Based on initial observations, the overflow appears to have been significantly diluted by stormwater runoff and river flow conditions. However, all recreational river use should follow local guidelines.Ā
Ā
We recognize how important our river system is to our community, local businesses and tourism. Based on initial observations, the overflow appears to have been significantly diluted by stormwater runoff and river flow conditions. However, all recreational river use should follow local guidelines.Ā
Based on current river flow conditions and ongoing water quality monitoring, NBU believes the discharged wastewater has beenĀ substantially dilutedĀ and flushed downstream of the affected area. Cleanup and sampling efforts are ongoing in coordination with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).Ā
While TCEQ is the regulatory agency responsible for overseeing water quality and public health protections, current conditions do notĀ indicateĀ an ongoing elevated risk in the affectedĀ portionĀ of the river. Customers should continue to exercise normal caution when recreating in any natural waterway, particularly following significantĀ rainfallĀ or high-flow events.Ā
NBU will provide updates ifĀ additionalĀ concerns areĀ identified.
Yes. NBU has notified the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and is following all required reporting and notification procedures related to the incident.
Additionally, NBU isĀ coordinatingĀ withĀ the City of New Braunfels, neighboringĀ agenciesĀ andĀ downstreamĀ water purveyorsĀ to inform themĀ of theĀ occurrence.Ā Ā
NBU crews responded immediately after the outage to:Ā
- Stop the overflow once power was restoredĀ Ā
- Assess the affected areaĀ Ā
- Begin cleanup and monitoring effortsĀ Ā
- Coordinate with TCEQĀ Ā
- Evaluate mitigation and prevention measuresĀ Ā
Since the incident, we have begun implementing additional measures to strengthen our systems and reduce the likelihood of a similar event. These actions include identifying critical facilities near environmentally sensitive areas and increasing testing of backup systems. We are also reviewing the planning, communication and approval processes surrounding maintenance activities at critical facilities, increasing testing and verification of backup systems and alarms, and enhancing staffing and monitoring capabilities during severe weather events.
Yes. NBU crews are continuing to monitor and assess conditions in the affected area.
Protecting waterwaysĀ remainsĀ an important part of serving our community.Ā NBU is evaluatingĀ additionalĀ mitigation and resiliency measures following the incident to help reduce the likelihood of similar impacts during future power disruptions.Ā