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Neighbors concerned over smelly, brown water in Cherryville

By Tina Terry, wsoctv.com
By Tina Terry, wsoctv.com

CHERRYVILLE, N.C. — Neighbors in Cherryville are outraged over brown, smelly, rusty water they said is coming out of their faucets.

They said the water is ruining their filters and appliances. The complaints come just as leaders in Cherryville conducted a complete flushing of the water system this week.

“Flushing is a regular part to keep the system clean and healthy,” said Jeff Cash, fire chief with Cherryville.

He helped oversee the routine flushing this week. He said workers are flushing 50 miles of water pipes. The process helps clean out sediment and rust in the pipes.

However, neighbors like Daniel Mullis said the effects don’t last long.

"It’s been muddy it comes up looking like ice tea. It's real brown, it has affected our washing machine, ice maker, dishwasher,” Mullis said.

Since the flushing this week, Mullis said the water has been clear. However, he said off and on for the past five years it’s been brown and smelly and sometimes contains debris.

“That’s what comes out of our filters right there,” said Mullis, pointing to debris from his faucet.

Other neighbors sent pictures of dirty water and filters. Town leaders said cast iron pipes laid in the 1920s, '30s, and '40s were causing the problem.

“We’ve identified those areas that are a problem. As council gets revenue, they do their best to replace them, but it's a high-priced item -- especially for a small community with limited resources,” Cash said.

Cash said the town has struggled since the recession, and about four years ago Channel 9 told you about several high-profile embezzlement cases where employees stole nearly half a million dollars, causing the town to struggle.

"Anything that occurs negatively always hurts your bottom line,” Cash said.

Leaders said refurbishing the entire system would cost nearly $10 million. They’ve been putting money toward replacing the old pipes every year. In the meantime, they want neighbors to use common sense.

"If it's brown, don't drink the water. Call us,” Cash said.

Leaders said the system-wide flush should clear things up for a while. However, if you experience a problem, you should call and the city will come flush the lines near your home.

They said the old pipes only comprise about 20-30 percent of the town’s water pipes.

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