BROKEN ARROW, Okla. -- Almost three weeks ago, staff with Broken Arrow said they noticed problems caused by algae blooms in the Verdigris River, and said it would be fixed in a matter of days.
Donna Frayser told 2 Works for You when caring for her father, she's still nervous to cook or get him water, saying it smells and tastes like dirt.
"He lives off of decaf coffee. I can't really make it strong enough to kill the flavor of the dust. And also for cooking issues. You don't want your spaghetti or ravioli coming out tasting dusty," Frayser said.
Cynthia Julson said she's stopped cooking with the water altogether, only using it boiled when needed.
"You should be able to go to the sink and get a glass of water and drink it without worrying about it. But if you're cooking or anything I always find myself getting the bottled water to pour into the pan to cook," Julson said.
The water has to travel from the plant to homes after filtration. With less people using water in August than the city thought, it's taking longer than expected.
"That treated water, the fresher water, has to make its way through hundreds of miles, a network of hundreds of miles of water lines. So we have to give it time for the fresher water to make its way through the system," Broken Arrow Communications Director Krista Flasch said.
Broken Arrow has increased pre-treatment at the water plant, and they're about to complete a review, looking at ways to prevent this from happening next summer.
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