WAKULLA COUNTY, FL — Many residents in the Wakulla Gardens neighborhood and surrounding areas of Wakulla County are are dealing with brown, discolored tap water, an issue they say has been ongoing for several months.
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Neighbors on the Talquin Electric water system say the issue is ruining clothes, damaging appliances, and forcing them to buy bottled water.
"The water’s disgusting. You can’t drink it," Will McClure said. "We haven't used water out of the sink for anything, or the tap water for anything in a long time. We buy a bottle, use an ice maker to a countertop ice maker for that."
Families are also expressing concerns about bathing in the discolored water.
"As far as the kids go, it's definitely very uncomfortable having to bathe them in water that's brown, but it's like, we don't really have many other options, because this is, like the only place we can bathe them at," neighbor Lauren Nimmons said.
"It's like it feels really gross to take a shower, and it makes me feel like more dirtier than I was before, like when I'm coming home from softball or other activities," neighbor Ava Leavitt said.
The sediment is also causing financial strain for residents.
"We have the water filter in our refrigerator that we are replacing every two months because of all of the buildup and the sediment that's in it. Plus, it's ruined a lot of clothes that we wash, whether if it's white clothes, even some dark clothes, because the sediment is all over it, and there's like brown streaks on it," Sofia Leavitt said.
"Paying for water you can't use, you're just wasting your money," McClure said.
John Hallas, the director of water at Talquin Electric, says the water is not dangerous, and the discoloration primarily comes from naturally occurring minerals.
"The discoloration is primarily from naturally occurring minerals in the water, predominantly iron and manganese, so they are safe. There's no danger in the water, although we don't expect our members to drink discolored water. We ask the members to just let us know if they have discolored water. Let us get out there, try to flush the lines, and get it clear," Hallas said.
Hallas said they have not found the exact root cause of the issue but noted several ongoing projects in the area.
"There is a septic to sewer program, a road paving program, and many construction projects — houses being built — that have caused a lot of these disturbances," Hallas said.
Hallas hopes Talquin Electric can run a flush program in the area after the current drought to prevent these occurrences.
Neighbors say flushing the system helps temporarily, but they consider it a band-aid solution and want a long-term fix. Talquin Electric asks anyone experiencing discolored water to contact them.
If you have discolored water or see anyone who isn't a Talquin employee using the hydrants, you're encouraged to call 888-802-1832.
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