'Out of control': Salem, Indiana residents dealing with discolored, smelly tap water
Every day, you turn your tap water on, assuming it’s safe to drink, shower in, or use to wash the dishes and laundry. But people in Washington County, Indiana, are frustrated to find theirs is brown, discolored, and stinks. It’s an issue people have noticed for weeks, saying the water smelled like pond water. “I was cleaning the kitchen one day and I was like, why does the water smell like that?” said Lynette Vanarsdale, who lives in New Pekin, but says she is serviced by Salem Water Works. “It’s just gotten out of control,” said David Spear, a Salem resident. A server at El Maguey Mexican Restaurant in Salem says it’s impacting business, too.”When you spend $3.99 on a drink, you’re expecting a good-tasting drink,” said Elisha Webb, who works at El Maguey. “Yesterday, I ended up having to replace a customer’s drink three different times.”Salem Water Works posted a notice on its website on Monday, stating that its water system had recently violated a drinking water standard. After regular monitoring in July, they found that turbidity levels were above the maximum level. Turbidity itself is not a health hazard, but it increases the likelihood that the water may contain disease-causing organisms, according to Salem Water. Salem Water says excessive heat and rainfall caused color and increased manganese levels. “The heat definitely and the nutrients from all that coming in definitely fed into an algae bloom we haven’t seen in over a decade,” said Jennifer Mills, Salem Water Works water distribution superintendent and water treatment superintendent, who spoke at a meeting Monday night. “It’s an earthy, musty smell that everybody’s smelling right now.”Salem Water says they resolved the issue by increasing chemical dosage to maintain removal, but residents are still dealing with a smell. “It’s real frustrating, you know,” said Spear. “I pay my bill every month on time. I’m just asking for them to give us what we give them.”We reached out to Mills and the mayor, but have not yet heard back. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management says they are working with Salem Water Works on the issue.
Every day, you turn your tap water on, assuming it’s safe to drink, shower in, or use to wash the dishes and laundry.
But people in Washington County, Indiana, are frustrated to find theirs is brown, discolored, and stinks.
It’s an issue people have noticed for weeks, saying the water smelled like pond water.
“I was cleaning the kitchen one day and I was like, why does the water smell like that?” said Lynette Vanarsdale, who lives in New Pekin, but says she is serviced by Salem Water Works.
“It’s just gotten out of control,” said David Spear, a Salem resident.
A server at El Maguey Mexican Restaurant in Salem says it’s impacting business, too.
“When you spend $3.99 on a drink, you’re expecting a good-tasting drink,” said Elisha Webb, who works at El Maguey. “Yesterday, I ended up having to replace a customer’s drink three different times.”
Salem Water Works posted a notice on its website on Monday, stating that its water system had recently violated a drinking water standard.
After regular monitoring in July, they found that turbidity levels were above the maximum level.
Turbidity itself is not a health hazard, but it increases the likelihood that the water may contain disease-causing organisms, according to Salem Water.
Salem Water says excessive heat and rainfall caused color and increased manganese levels.
“The heat definitely and the nutrients from all that coming in definitely fed into an algae bloom we haven’t seen in over a decade,” said Jennifer Mills, Salem Water Works water distribution superintendent and water treatment superintendent, who spoke at a meeting Monday night. “It’s an earthy, musty smell that everybody’s smelling right now.”
Salem Water says they resolved the issue by increasing chemical dosage to maintain removal, but residents are still dealing with a smell.
“It’s real frustrating, you know,” said Spear. “I pay my bill every month on time. I’m just asking for them to give us what we give them.”
We reached out to Mills and the mayor, but have not yet heard back.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management says they are working with Salem Water Works on the issue.