LOUISVILLE, KY. (WDRB) -- Charlestown, Indiana residents say they are sick of dealing with their brown, dirty looking city water.
WDRB's Lindsay Allen got to see the water from a home in Charlestown, Indiana Friday. The family says after years of dealing with brown water, they've had enough.
"We usually end up having to take our children over to our inlaws to get a bath," says Kellie Sabie, who wakes up every morning wondering if today will be another day she'll have to deal with brown water.
"We had stockpiled 70 to 80 jugs," she says, "and we are still having to buy probably two to three a week."
The Sabies say this has been an ongoing problem since they moved into their Glendale neighborhood six years ago, but that over the past year the water situation has become unbearable, with brown water in their bathtub and washing machine.
Aaron Sabie explains, "This is a quality of life issue that affects, I know, it's not just us, it's gotta be everyone in this neighborhood."
There have been a lot of complaints. City officials say every day this week they've gotten about seven or eight phone calls about the brown water.
The problem isn't necessarily the brown color -- the real concern is this sandy sediment that seems to settle at the bottom of the toilet. When you flush it, the water runs clear for a few minutes, but after that, that sediment comes right back.
The Charlestown Wastewater Department Director told WDRB's Lindsay Allen over the phone that the residue is a buildup of the mineral manganese. He says its not harmful, and the water is safe to drink, although it may not look appealing.
But the city is now taking action. A letter was mailed to water customers this week detailing the plan to eliminate that mineral buildup by adding a liquid solution called Clearitas. It will start being added to the city water on February 6th.
Kellie Sabie says, "In the meantime, we're still paying for water that's not usable and I don't deem it healthy for my family or my children."
There is a town hall meeting on Monday night to answer any questions about the water situation and the plans to treat the problem. City officials though, say after they start adding that solution, it could be six months or a year before residents notice a difference with their water.
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