Germantown water alert: How residents, business are adapting - Commercial Appeal

Germantown water alert: How residents, business are adapting

Germantown stores and residents still without water; no update on when water will be safe
Brooke Muckerman Jordan Green

Germantown residents are still without safe water, a day after the city announced that diesel fuel had begun leaking into the city's water reservoir. Many city businesses are adjusting their operations, including not serving refillable drinks and using bottled water to wash hands.

Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, which has a hospital in Germantown, said it was delaying some medical procedures and diverting some patients to nearby hospitals in response to the water ban.

"To minimize the impact of the current water situation in Germantown, Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital is taking precautions to ensure the well-being of our patients, including diverting some patients to nearby hospitals, delaying some procedures and issuing bottled water," Methodist said in a statement.

Wendy's, located at the intersection of Poplar Avenue and West Street, said it almost sold out of water bottles but expected more by Friday afternoon. The fast-food restaurant is still serving soda but using bottled water to clean dishes and for employees to wash their hands.

Also: Germantown provides updates on water bottles, contaminated reservoir

The Villages, a Germantown nursing home, has a large supply of bottled water for emergencies, said Clay Collins, the nursing home's chief financial officer. The Villages is currently stocked up on water bottles to continue dining services and for their "healthcare services."

Trader Joe's in Germantown said it sold out of bottled water late Friday morning but expects to get a new shipment by Saturday.

Some Germantown residents said they did not know about the notice not to use the city's water until hours after the Thursday afternoon announcement. Laura Mitchell, a Germantown resident, said she had already used her tap water Thursday night before she found out about the diesel leak.

"I had already cooked dinner — used water to boil potatoes, steam broccoli," Mitchell said. "If I get sick, I don't know."

Joanna Simmers, another Germantown resident, said she filled her water bottle up at work Thursday afternoon and had been washing her hands with the contaminated water. Simmers and Mitchell said they were confused by the city's recommendation to not use water and that it should have been clearer.

"Can we shower?" Simmers said, explaining her confusion on the water situation.

The city said its municipal water should only be used for flushing toilets; all other uses are not recommended because of the diesel fuel contamination.

Simmers and Mitchell added they both live near the water treatment plant but did not smell anything abnormal in their water.

Carrie Roe Pledge, a Germantown resident in Dogwood Creek, was one of the first to experience the smell of diesel in her water on Thursday morning.

“First thing I do in the morning is take my medicine,” Pledge said. “I just take it with a little sip of tap water and it tasted terrible. Then I smelled it and I'm like, 'Oh, my goodness. That's really weird.’”

She continued to run the water in the sink, but the smell only got worse. Pledge didn’t smell anything bad when she ran the shower, so she went about her day as usual — even with the smell lingering in her house.

Eventually, she and her husband reached out to the city of Germantown to come and test the water, and city workers were there within 30 minutes. They told Pledge and her husband they weren’t sure of what the water smelled like but that the water should be fine to drink.

When talking to her next door neighbor and a neighbor across the street, Pledge found that neither one smelled the diesel fuel odor in their water.

Pledge was not surprised when the City of Germantown sent out the alert. “I knew there was something in the water, but that's exactly what it smelled like — Kerosene or gas or something.”

Pledge and her family were already using water safety precautions by the time the alert got sent out. On Friday, she could still smell the diesel fuel in the water.

Memphis Veterinary Specialists released a statement Friday, outlining how to watch for diesel toxicity in pets. They advise if your pets display any of the following symptoms to take them to an emergency vet immediately.

- Gastrointestinal distress: Watch for symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea or excessive drooling.
- Loss of coordination: Pets may exhibit unsteady movements or have difficulty walking.
- Lethargy: A sudden lack of energy and enthusiasm in your pet could be a sign of toxicity.
- Labored breathing: Keep an eye on your pet's breathing patterns; any difficulty in breathing should be taken seriously.
- Seizures: If your pet experiences seizures or convulsions seek immediate veterinary attention.

During a news briefing Thursday evening, Germantown officials said at worst, 100 gallons of diesel fuel had leaked into the underground reservoir, which contains about 4.2 million gallons of water.

The fuel is floating on the water, they explained, and city workers are in the process of pumping it out. After this, the water will be thoroughly tested, and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation must provide clearance before the restriction on water usage is lifted.

In an update Thursday night, the city said the order “could be lifted as early as Friday.” The Friday update said that Germantown’s Public Works department is in the process of “flushing and neutralizing the system,” and that testing is “expected by late (Friday) afternoon.”

Commercial Appeal reporter John Klyce contributed to this report.

Brooke Muckerman covers Shelby County government and can be reached at brooke.muckerman@commercialappeal.com