Anderson residents voice concerns over brown, smelly tap water

ANDERSON, Ind. - Water concerns are bubbling up in Anderson as residents report brown, smelly water coming from their faucets, sparking frustration and calls for answers from city officials.




Heidi Snyder, who lives in the Greenbriar neighborhood, said her water occasionally runs cloudy and yellow, but Thursday's discoloration was unprecedented.




"I have never seen the water as brown as it was today," Snyder said.

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Snyder expressed concern for those who may have unknowingly consumed the tainted water.




"I think it's unfortunate people were drinking this water before it turned brown, how many people put this in their system before you could tell 'I shouldn't be drinking that,'" she said.




She and other neighbors, some of whom declined to go on camera, said the water often has a strong chlorine or bleach smell, even when it appears clear. Residents said it's also become a financial burden.




"I will only drink bottled water. I will only give my cat bottled water. I have a water distiller that I use. I won't even drink water out of the filter from my refrigerator," Snyder said.




"The smell, some days, is just horrendous," one neighbor said. "It's been so bad sometimes that it's literally taken my breath away."




Another neighbor shared concerns about the impact on their health.




"I have a skin disorder, and sometimes when the chlorine is really, really bad, I break out in hives," a neighbor said.




FOX59/CBS4 reached out to the city's water department for an interview, and the director responded with a statement claiming discolored water is a "normal side effect" of hydrant flushing.

The City of Anderson just started our annual distribution system flushing program on April 28^th. The public was notified via print media one week in advance through two notices, as well as in the mayor's monthly newsletter. The program consists of daily fire hydrant flushing to remove mineral deposits that settle in the mains under normal conditions. It is a recommended maintenance process supported by the American Water Works Association, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management(IDEM). This program also allows the city to inspect and identify fire hydrants that require maintenance or replacement so the city can effectively fight fires when needed. Discolored water and periods of lower pressure for residents during this time is a normal side effect and, in most cases, will clear up in the home if the customer runs the cold-water side of their faucet for 3-5 minutes. If it is not clear in a few days the water department will come out and flush the area or the customers service line again to clear it up.  This information is all covered in the public communication.

Neal McKee, Director, City of Anderson Water Utility

Snyder acknowledged the need for maintenance but questioned the severity of the discoloration.




"I understand the annual flushing. I understand why that needs to be done," she said. "I don't understand why it was so bad today."




The most recent mayor's newsletter claims tap water remains "safe for human consumption during flushing operations," despite any discoloration.




The newsletter also discusses plans to invest $130 million over the next three years in "necessary" water improvements, some stemming from aging, nearly century-old infrastructure. However, the plan includes a water rate increase to be phased in over five years to cover the cost of bond payments and increased water expenses. According to the newsletter, the city is still waiting for full approval from the Indiana Regulatory Commission on the requested rate increases.




Still, residents say more immediate action is needed.




"I think we deserve answers. I think we deserve good, clean water," Snyder said.




City officials said if water discoloration persists for more than a few days, the department will return to flush the area or the customer's service line again. The water department can be reached at (765) 648-6420.

via: https://fox59.com/news/anderson-residents-voice-concerns-over-brown-smelly-tap-water/