PITTSBURG COUNTY, Okla. — Videos and photos tell a lot of the story for the Adamson and Hartshorne/Haileyville rural water districts, but the local water authority says a fix is on the way.
Kristina Campbell said her family's dealt with its water supply turning a thick brown color on and off since April.
"I feel like it's not really misinformation (fueling anger among neighbors)," Campbell said. "It's a lack of understanding, a lack of knowledge of the situation going on, and the steps to remedy what's happening."
Both the Pittsburg County Water Authority and Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality now say iron and manganese are likely causing the brown water to pour into and even stain clothes, sinks, and tubs. Neither element is technically dangerous in low concentrations, but they are reportedly likely rooted in the aging treatment plant filters and waterline pipes - both planned to be replaced in the coming months. The recent lack of rain doesn't help.
WATCH: Brown water persists for months in eastern Pittsburg County
"Any time you have a break, when you're 20 miles out and you have a break and it sucks dirty (water) and it's going to push it out further, you know? And then you have to flush the lines," PCWA member and county commissioner Charlie Rogers told 2 News. "So when you flush a line it can help and hurt."
Rogers recommends residents with "gross" discoloration drain the water then ask their local rural water district (RWDs 8 & 14) to deduct the gallons from their water bill. A 5% credit was already approved by the authority in its Jan. 5 meeting.
Rogers said pipes and water treatment facility improvements will begin in the coming months.
"Just wash(out) your water," the commissioner said. "Be sure it's clear before you try to wash a load of laundry, you know. And be patient with us until we get the filters changed. If you have brown water let us know. We'll try to do something about it as quick as we can."
- Previous coverage>>> Pittsburg County officials say they're working toward quality drinking water
Rogers also clarified that the recent problems are not the same as ones in late 2018, as that rural water district was not under the control of PCWA.
Campbell said she is fine being patient as long as the solution is a permanent one.
"I mean it is kind of a bummer when you run your bath and it starts to come up and it looks pretty clear to take a bath, and all of a sudden it just turns dark brown," Campbell said. "It kind of ruins your evening, you know?"
Because funding is going down, a rate increase for the first time in years is likely to be voted on in the coming months by the water authority. However, members said it is a separate issue from the murky coloring problems in the two rural water districts.
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