About Us

History of Southeast Texas Water Conditioning, Inc.

In 1956, L. E. Stagg, Jr. and Lamar Stagg founded the Culligan Water Conditioning Company of Beaumont, Texas. They had a vision to provide the folks of Southeast Texas with affordable water filtration for their homes and businesses.

In 1968, H. D. “Tex” Strait, Sr., a 12-year Culligan veteran, bought the business from the retiring Stagg brothers. With his wife Emma and their eight kids all working in the business over the next quarter of a century, they expanded the business to include deionization systems, reverse osmosis systems, bottled water, and commercial and industrial water treatment systems, becoming the foremost name in water treatment in Southeast Texas.

Southeast Texas Water employs approximately 20 people year round, with seasonal variations. The tradition of family members working in the business continues today. Our customers number over 4,000 now.

Southeast Texas Water is recognized as the leader in the water treatment industry in Southeast Texas, treating water for kidney dialysis at hospitals, process and boiler feed water for the petrochemical industry, and reagent grade water for laboratories and research stations. We deliver pure, delicious 5-gallon bottled drinking water to hundreds of households and businesses throughout Southeast Texas. We have received numerous awards from Culligan for sales, marketing and service, including the Cultivator award, President’s Circle and VIP awards. In 1999, Southeast Texas Water was recognized as a finalist, and in 2000 was the winner for the Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Business Ethics in the Marketplace.

Southeast Texas Water/Culligan is still family owned and operated, just as it was back in it’s inception in 1956. Henry Strait, recently announced that his daughter, Catherine Strait Gilby, and son-inlaw, Matthew Gilby, have joined the management team at Southeast Texas Water, and in doing so mark the third generation of family management/ownership for the local Culligan dealer. “Southeast Texas Water will join a rare and elite group of local companies that can boast three generations of family ownership,” said Henry. “This succession is extremely important for the long-term growth and viability of our company. Keeping it in the family means our customers will continue to receive the very best service, and the next generation will bring with them their passion for the newest technologies available. Just as important, the local control means Southeast Texas Water will be able to continue to actively support our local community as we have for over 50 years.” In 2006 we celebrated our 50th year in business, and are proud to still be a “Family” business.

Southeast Texas Water/Culligan has benefited a great deal from the Southeast Texas Community, and we try to give back to that community, supporting the Three Rivers Council, Boy Scouts of America, Lamar University, and many other worthwhile causes with our time and resources. We believe that Southeast Texas is a great place to live and raise a family, and we want to continue to give back in order to make it an even better place for future generations.