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Discoloration in water near 83rd Ave/Indian School "completely safe"

Posted at 4:02 PM, May 30, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-31 10:52:53-04

Phoenix city officials say water that is discolored near 83rd Avenue and Indian School Road is "completely safe to drink and use." 

City officials say crews have been performing maintenance on a large water main in the area that has caused the discoloration of residents' water. 

"The water is completely safe to drink and use, just slightly discolored," city officials said in a news release. Residents who are experiencing the discoloration are asked to run their taps for a few minutes or until the discoloration fades. 

Crews are expected to complete their work on the 54-inch pipe by the end of the day Tuesday. Joy Randel tells ABC15 when she went for a shower in her home near 83rd Avenue and Osborn Road, she knew something was up right away. 

"When I hopped in the shower and was rinsing off my hair, I noticed that the water down at the bottom of the tub seemed to be dirty." 

And it wasn't just the shower. Randel collected five samples from other parts of her home including the kitchen sink and bathroom sinks -- and at different times of the day. All of the samples were a variation of brown and orange. 

"I don't think anyone would rationally sit here and drink this kind of water," she explained. And that's not the only reason why Randel is upset. She claims the city never notified her. "They had every way to get a hold of me and notify me by mail or e-mail. It wouldn't have cost them any more money or any more time."

City crews were out front the woman's home, pumping a hydrant. 

As for the lack of communication, city officials say they typically notify people by placing flyers on their door or sending notifications in the mail. 

They also tell us it's possible Randel lives just outside of the notification zone and that they are working on alternative ways to notify people online when something like this is happening.