WILDWOOD, Fla. — Residents of Wildwood say they’ve been showering and trying to cook food in water that’s been coming out of the faucet brown or yellow for weeks.
Neighbors said they’ve had concerns about the water for the past month or so.
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“They’re saying it’s safe to drink, but I’m not drinking that brown water. No way. That water looks disgusting,” resident Carolyn Lewis said.
She and her neighbors are using bottled water to cook with and drink.
City of Wildwood water crews were working in her neighborhood on Wednesday.
Read: ‘Something’s not working’: St. Cloud residents frustrated over years of water issues
A city spokesperson said the installation of a waterline along 301 connecting a new development to the water treatment plant reversed the flow of water in some areas and knocked rust from old pipes into the system.
Late last month, the city flushed 175 fire hydrants, but the problem persists for people living on the east and west sides of downtown.
The city said it is working to come up with a new approach to deal with it, but says testing shows the water is safe to drink. Neighbors who have been running water to flush the color out for weeks said they’re still not seeing clear water.
“We have to pay for that bottled water. They’re not reimbursing us,” Lewis said.
The city will reimburse people for extra water used if they’re flushing the pipes, so anyone who has the issue is asked to call the city and let them know. Officials said they expect to have their plan in place for dealing with the issue on Monday.
Read: St. Cloud plans another round of treatment for discolored drinking water
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