WAKULLA COUNTY, FL — Wakulla County residents on Talquin's water system have dealt with on-and-off brown water issues for months, and a county commissioner is now proposing a potential solution: having the county purchase the water system outright.
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Commissioner Ralph Thomas made the proposal in a Facebook post Wednesday morning, saying he wants to explore negotiating a voluntary purchase of the portion of Talquin's water system that serves Wakulla County.
"That's why I will be proposing that Wakulla County explore negotiating a friendly, voluntary purchase of Talquin's water system serving Wakulla County," Thomas said.
Thomas said the county has been limited in what it can do because Talquin operates as a private company outside county regulatory authority.
"They are a private company, and so the county has no regulatory authority over them. We have no ability to just force our protocol on them. And so I'm hoping that they maybe that they've had enough headache with it, that they'll entertain this conversation, and we can start walking down that road together," Thomas said.
Thomas acknowledged that a change in ownership alone would not resolve the water quality problems, and that significant work and investment would likely be required.
"It's hard to know because obviously, just changing ownership is not going to fix the problem. I recognize that. We've got to figure out what the problem is, and generally, when you're fixing problems, it takes money. And so, you know, I hear that a lot of the problem is because they've got scoured lines, and when they're backflowing, flushing the lines, you know, it flushes out a lot of that debris. So I don't know if they need new lines; they need pipes. Certainly, we've got to look at all of those options," Thomas said.
Despite those unknowns, Thomas said the scale of the problem demands action.
"But, you know, from what I see, the folks that are receiving that water have worse water quality than any other water system that I'm aware of. So, obviously, there are solutions that are there if we're willing to explore those and implement them," Thomas said.
Neighbors have shared how the water has affected their daily lives — from bathing to damage to appliances and clothing. Many of those impacted include elderly residents, immunocompromised individuals, and young children.
Kristyn Hallowell, a Wakulla County neighbor, said the issue has gone on long enough.
"I think it's high time that we get to a solution. I think it's high time that our Board of County Commissioners in Wakulla addresses this issue. I think it's high time that Talquin addresses this issue. It's a real public health issue, and it needs to be taken seriously," Hallowell said.
In a statement about a recent brown water event, Talquin said the discoloration stems from naturally occurring iron and manganese in the water and does not pose a health risk, citing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies iron and manganese as secondary (aesthetic) drinking water constituents. These minerals may affect water color, taste, or odor but do not pose a health risk," Talquin said.
Talquin also noted that discolored water events are temporary and do not affect the safety or potability of the drinking water, adding that it does not expect members to drink discolored water.
Talquin did not respond to a request for comment on Thomas' purchase proposal by the time of publication.
Thomas said he plans to bring the proposal before the full Board of County Commissioners for a vote to begin the process. He noted there are many legal, financial, and operational questions that would need to be answered before any purchase could move forward.
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