Brown Tap Water Worries Residents, Water District Insists It's Safe
DENVER (CBS4) - Residents in the area near Roxborough Park southwest of Denver are being told their water is safe but best not to drink it or wash clothing with it.
The problem is the color. It is a brown or tea color coming from the faucets.
"Is there anything to worry about?" CBS4's Rick Sallinger asked Larry Moore, the general manager of the Rocksborough Water and Sanitation District.
"Absolutely not," he replied.
But at one home the resident showed CBS4 bottled water is being kept in the refrigerator right by the beer.
"I'm not sure we're going to get cancer or grow tails, but I'm not sure that we're not," said homeowner Tammy Cowgill.
Moore says the problem is caused in part by construction crews tapping into hydrants affecting the flow of the water. Minerals like iron and manganese settle in the pipes then go into the water that travels into the homes.
"What do you say to those who don't want to wash their clothes in this or drink the water?" Sallinger asked Moore.
"I say don't drink the water or wash your clothes, call us immediately," he replied.
Moore says the water district will come out and flush the pipes.
CBS4's Rick Sallinger is a Peabody award winning reporter who has been with the station more than two decades doing hard news and investigative reporting. Follow him on Twitter @ricksallinger.