(1/8) The Emmitsburg Town council heard from residents at the
board’s January 6 meeting regarding alleged damages and costs experienced as
the result of drinking water contamination.
Beginning in October, numerous Emmitsburg drinking water customers have been
expressing their concerns over the brown colorization of their tap water.
More than 20 residents attended the commissioners' January meeting, either
to comment on the drinking water issue or simply to witness the outcome of the
discussions. Several of them informed the board of actual property damage or
financial burdens they allegedly sustained as a result of the contaminated
drinking water.
Although the water has been declared “safe to drink,” the claim of which a
number of residents remain dubious, residents state they have suffered the
consequences of rust in their water which has stained clothing (including
expensive service uniforms), led to buying bottled water, and purchasing
expensive filtration units, or increasing the number of filters they expend
trying to eliminate the pollutants.
Allison Calhoun, Wheatley Drive, Brookfield, told the commissioners, “We
have contacted two independent companies who have done water testing...(the
tests) have high levels of iron and manganese,“ adding that the family's water
“started out brown and now it's remained green... There are black specks that
attach to the walls of the tub and the bottom, and when you smear them they
smear like tar.”
Barrett Turner, West Main Street, said, “A filter that would last me one to
two months, I've been changing every week… It's been a very frustrating time, a
time full of fear... I have six small children,” adding, “I'm actually leaving
the meeting with less trust in the water supply than I hoped to leave with
coming into it.”
Residents also addressed additional impacts of the brown water, including the
staining of laundry, including general service uniforms. Also questioned was
compensation for expenses incurred by residents directly resulting from the
water issues, and an apparent lack of communication between the town and the
residents.
Town Manager Cathy Willets told the Emmitsburg News-Journal following
commissioners' meeting, about a dozen water customers have already been
compensated for excessive water use (presumably) due to their having to flush
their water lines before using the water.
While town officials have tested various samples of the seemingly fouled water
for a variety of potential contaminants, including lead, copper, and
health-threatening bacteria. However, the precise causation has not been
definitively determined, nor the precise impact areas of the foul water
identified.
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