Quick answer
For water damage in Emerald Bay, TX, shut off your main valve first, or turn off the well pump breaker if you are on a private well. For the water system, call Emerald Bay MUD at 903-825-6960. Then call a water damage restoration company; drying should start within 24 to 48 hours. Texas insurers must acknowledge your claim within 15 days.
Do this first
Local water and septic lines.
- Shut off the water. Close the valve for your home, then call the MUD office. Emerald Bay Municipal Utility District runs the community's water system, and any plumbing repair that needs a permit goes through that same office on La Salle Drive.
- Make it safe and document it. Cut power to wet rooms from a dry spot, photograph the damage, then report the claim.
- Start drying within 24 to 48 hours. Every Emerald Bay home in the census estimate is owner-occupied, and many are lake houses that sit empty for days. A leak can run unnoticed, so ask for readings in every room it reached.
Smith County had 15 flash flood warnings in 2024, 11 in 2025, and 9 so far in 2026, its busiest stretch since 2016. Roads around the bay can pond fast in heavy rain, so wait it out rather than drive through.
What to know about water damage in Emerald Bay
Half water
Emerald Bay covers about 1.5 square miles, and about half of that is Lake Palestine. It was first counted as its own place in the 2010 census.
Source: Emerald Bay, Texas
MUD water
Emerald Bay MUD runs public water system 2120105, and its yearly water quality report is posted on the district site.
Source: Emerald Bay MUD water report
Plumbing permits
The MUD issues plumbing inspection permits from its office at 155 La Salle Drive, open weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Source: Emerald Bay MUD
County septic
Smith County's septic permit program is run for the county by RTS Environmental.
Source: Smith County OSSF
Still growing
The census counted 1,047 people in Emerald Bay in 2010 and 1,146 in 2020, a gain of about 9.5%.
Source: Emerald Bay, Texas
Homes in Emerald Bay
The median home dates to 1987, and 34% were built before 1980. The median value is about $351,000.
Freezes and rain
The NOAA weather station at Tyler, about 12.3 miles away, averages 28.5 nights a year at or below 32°F and 1.7 at or below 20°F. In half of years the first freeze comes by November 21 and the last one after March 7. Pipes in outside walls, attics, and pier-and-beam crawlspaces are the first to split. It also averages 47.66 inches of rain a year, with about 15.0 days of an inch or more.
Check your ZIP
How often does Smith County get flash flood warnings?
The National Weather Service issued 67 flash flood warnings that included Smith County from 2016 through November 12, 2026, peaking at 15 in 2024. Each one means flooding is happening or about to happen.
Source: our count from the National Weather Service warning archive, Iowa Environmental Mesonet.
| Year | Warnings |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 15 |
| 2025 | 11 |
| 2026 | 9 |
Cost and insurance in Emerald Bay
How much does water damage restoration cost in Emerald Bay?
Most jobs run $450 to $16,000 (Angi). Lake water that rises into the house is a flood claim, not a homeowners claim. Lake humidity on the bay side slows drying, so keep the AC on and doors closed.
Water removal and restoration in Emerald Bay
The company that answers handles slow leaks in weekend lake houses, ice maker and dishwasher lines, frozen pipes in hard East Texas freezes, water heater failures, and boathouse plumbing, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
Emerald Bay questions
Who handles septic permits in Smith County?
RTS Environmental runs the program for Smith County, 903-630-4234. Ask whether your lot is on a septic system before calling, since the MUD handles the water side.
Is Emerald Bay a city?
No. It is an unincorporated census-designated place, first counted on its own in the 2010 census, so the MUD and Smith County are the local contacts.
How often does it freeze near Emerald Bay?
The NOAA station at Tyler averages about 29 nights a year at or below 32°F and about 2 at or below 20°F.
Which ZIP codes does this page cover?
The Emerald Bay part of ZIP 75757. The ZIP also covers Bullard.
Related guides
Other Texas towns- Burst pipe, not frozen
- Sewage backup: what to do first
- Burst pipe repair cost
- Texas insurance claim deadlines, in plain English
- Frozen and burst pipes: what to do
- Does homeowners insurance cover water damage?
- How long water damage takes to dry
Local phone numbers checked November 2026: