Tiny Texas town where the tap water runs brown and is filled with dangerous bacteria

Brown-colored water and reports of toxic bacteria in the water supply have residents of a small Texas town seriously concerned about their health.

Dozens of homes in Floresville, outside San Antonio, have been dealing with brown drinking and bath water for almost two years, which smells of chlorine and recently tested positive for the dangerous E.coli.

The presence of E.coli in the water was discovered in September, according to a message from the company that owns the well that supplies water to residents.

“Fecal indicators are microbes whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal waste,” a September notice from the Central States Water Authority warned residents

“Fecal indicators are microbes whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal waste,” the message reads. ‘These bacteria can make you sick and are especially a problem for infants, young children and people with weakened immune systems.’

Concerned for her and her children’s health, Floresville resident Brandi Knighton called the well’s owner, Central States Water Authority (CSWA), seeking clarity because their only water source was contaminated with the harmful bacteria.

“I call the company and ask, ‘What’s going on? Do I boil my water? Is this safe for them to drink? And no one can answer me. Even when she spoke to the supervisor, she could not tell me if my water was safe for my six children to consume,” Knighton said. KSAT News.

Knighton and her husband, Jason, installed a whole-house filtration system as a more cost-effective solution, rather than constantly buying bottled water, as others were forced to do.

“Everyone in this neighborhood has to buy bottled water. So who pays for this?’ said one concerned resident, Carrie Wilcoxson.

Other residents should run their sink and tub faucets for several minutes to rinse away the discoloration.

Concerned for her and her children’s health, Floresville resident Brandi Knighton called the Central States Water Authority seeking clarity because their only water source was contaminated with a harmful bacteria. Pictured: Brandi next to her husband, Jason Knighton

Even with the filtration system, Jason says he has to replace the filters monthly, if not more often. “These filters should last a minimum of six months and a maximum of a year, but we now replace our filters at least once a month,” he said.

“Everyone in this neighborhood has to buy bottled water. So who pays for this?’ said resident Carrie Wilcoxson

Even with the filtration system, Jason says he has to replace the filters monthly, if not more often.

“These filters should last at least six months to a year, but we now replace our filters at least once a month,” he said.

‘I feel indignant. If I didn’t have this system my water would look worse. When my children are bathing or when we shower, what we drink, what we cook with. How does that make you feel clean? That’s the water coming into your house,” Jason added.

Other residents have expressed concerns about the strong odor of chlorine, which is often used in trace amounts during the water treatment process to kill harmful bacteria.

‘I am the first house at the well. It’s so strong you can’t inhale it, let alone drink it. I have asthma, and it’s just too much,” Wilcoxson said.

She added that there is no indication that the water needs to boil when the discoloration occurs.

“The water company says, ‘It may seem unpleasant, but it’s safe to drink.’ I don’t care what they say. This water is not safe to drink. That sediment causes our hot water heaters to rust and electroplates to other metals. So how can it be safe for our stomachs?’ said Wilcoxson.

The neighbors have set up a Facebook group to keep each other informed of the situation.

‘Four days ago we took a poll to see who’s water smelled of strong chlorine. It shows 16 people, which is about 70 percent of the neighborhood,” Wilcoxson said.

As a result, residents’ bills are also piling up.

“CSWR purchased the well in 2020. In 2021, we started seeing brown water and highly chlorinated water on a regular basis. And yet, water company CSDR has applied to increase their rates in 2022,” Wilcoxson said. Pictured: CSWR’s well and filtration system in Floresville

Wilcoxson says her porcelain toilets are stained from the discolored water that continually flows through the taps and pipes

“CSWR purchased the well in 2020. In 2021, we started seeing brown water and highly chlorinated water on a regular basis. And yet in 2022, the water company CSDR applied to increase their rates,” Wilcoxson explains.

“Our bill went up. And so you think maybe the quality of your water will go up or filtration will be added, but that’s not the case. So our bills have gone up, but our water has gotten worse,” Knighton added.

CSWR-Texas told KSAT News this week that it would “evaluate possible solutions, such as installing automatic flushers, which would reduce the need for residents to manually flush their pipes at their own expense.”

The company added that its team was on site to test and assess the systems weekly, further stating that “all disinfection equipment in the water system is fully operational and working effectively.”

The statement did not address a resident’s water bottle costs for a well filtration system.

Also this week, the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality confirmed it is conducting an investigation into complaints it has received from residents.

Wilcoxson has also filed a case with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office and has been in contact with Sen. Judith Zaffrini, who she said is helping with possible long-term solutions.