GETTING ANSWERS: Why is my water Brown?

BEAUFORT COUNTY, SC (WSAV) – News 3 viewers have been messaging us with the same question, why is my water brown?

It has become an issue for a lot of you. So we wanted to know why?

The Beaufort Jasper Water and Sewer Authority says it’s aware of the problem. It is an issue mostly South of Highway 278, and because of Tropical Storm Debby.

Officials say as the floodwaters began to drain from the wetlands, the water became “stained” by organic materials like leaves and other minerals.

That water then went to the Savannah River, which is the water source for BJWSA and the area.

The water coming into the BJWSA plants looked like “black coffee” according to officials. So, they leaned on treatments and other water sources. The authority says the ugly color has been reduced by 90% so far.

Many of you wanted to know is that water safe to drink?

“Not harmful. It’s just gross,” said Jeff LaRue, Chief Communications Officer for BJWSA. “And it’s embarrassing for us. It’s not meeting our esthetic standards, But the ability for us to disinfect the water. It’s remained unchanged, So the water’s still safe to use.”

Flushing your faucets and hydrants isn’t going to help.

“We are asking people to just use the water as normal,” said LaRue. “If we have acute areas where it’s especially bad, we will come out and flush the water mains. but mostly we just need this slightly darker water to work its way through the system.”

“A question we get a lot is should I boil the water,” says LaRue. “Boiling the water? It’s not going to change the color of the water,” said LaRue.

LaRue does recommend in the meantime hold off on washing your white shirts and towels because they may get stained. Everything else is fine to clean with it. including yourself.

The water is improving every day. The hope is it will be back to normal early next week.