Howards Nasty Brown Stinking Water!!

[srkruzich]

It sounds like the city employees have done all they can to fix the problem; it sounds like the problem is beyond their knowledge or capabilities at this point and other entities have to get involved to find out what the issue is.

It sounds like everyone in town is suffering; and unless the city workers live out of town, they are fighting the same issues as everyone else.  At least the city is buying bottled water locally...

It is a good question about paying for water that is like this... but the city is between a rock and hard place... if no one pays their bills, then there is no money to get this problem fixed.  Sounds like the city will have to dip into other funds to pay for fixing the issue, anyway, if it's as bad as it sounds.

Is it the taxpayors problem that the city is between a rock and a hard place?  Lots of money is paid out every month for water and quite frankly they should have been putting back some of that money every month to do something about this. This has been happening a long time so they can't say they didn't know it would happen

[Tobina+1]

Is it the taxpayors problem that the city is between a rock and a hard place?  Lots of money is paid out every month for water and quite frankly they should have been putting back some of that money every month to do something about this. This has been happening a long time so they can't say they didn't know it would happen

I don't disagree with you.  I was just stating that if people stopped paying their water bills (like someone suggested), then that really wouldn't help the situation at all, as then the city would really not have any money to get the problem fixed correctly.  I don't really know anything about putting money aside for this, either... as the people of HOWARD are the ones who elected their officials and those officials have to answer to them.

[dnalexander]

http://www.epa.gov/
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

To view the information regarding your water supply, quality, and violations
of your water supplier go to the epa website. On the left side you will see
my environment section where you can enter in your zip code. On the left side
of the page that comes up you will see a section titled MyWater where you can
view reports, violations, and quality info.

To obtain additional information about drinking water
call EPA's Safe Drinking Water hotline at 1-800-426-4791.




http://www.kdheks.gov/water/index.html
Division of Environment
Bureau of Water
1000 SW Jackson St., Suite 420
Topeka, KS 66612-1367
(785) 296-5500
FAX: (785) 296-5509

[emptynest]

I would like to comment on the KAKE interviews done about the water in the City of Howard. 

Everytime KAKE TV 10 and/or any TV station for that matter is called to Howard/Elk County, it seems to be for some negative reason.  The light that shines forth on us for others to hear always has some "bad" connotation.  So, Monday, it was the brown, stinky water and how it leaves a bad taste in peoples' mouths and stains what was once clean.      Well, that's what I thought their TV clip did for us also.  It stunk! It left a bad taste in my mouth, not to mention others in the state who once again had to hear that maybe Elk County is not so cool a place to call home.  It stained us once again.

I know they have the right to come here after something newsworthy, just as we, as individuals and businesses have the right to refuse to grant an interview.  But just for once, could we have something positive shown about us?  Maybe instead of Chris Frank proudly telling about the brown water coming into the toilet, or practically gagging as he sipped a glass of Howard water, he should have ended with a postive note.  On Monday, there WAS some place that had beautifully clean water with people in it enjoying themselves right here in Howard.  And I'm not bragging because it was the pool's water, which took a big hit with the bad city water also---- but just for once---could we have offered to shed some positive light on our community amist all the "stinky stuff"? 

And did KAKE offer to come back once the problem is "cleared up" to report on the progress made?

(Just had to air my "dirty laundry") 

[srkruzich]

You know sometimes it takes bringing in the reporters to get something done.  If it solves the problem then it was worth it.  Personally if i had to pay my money for that stuff that is coming out of howards tap, i would be raising hell too.  I don't know about yalls bill but mine is high enough for water. 

back where i moved from i had well water that was as clear and sweet as could be.  No filtration, no chemicals dumped into it, nothing but pure water.  Its a shame you can't get it here.

[Clubine Ranch]

Thank you Emptynest, you are appreciated! Barbara

[greatguns]

Steve, it is a shame you have to live here when everything was so wonderful  where you use to live.  Some of us like it here and don't mind paying our billls.

[srkruzich]

Steve, it is a shame you have to live here when everything was so wonderful  where you use to live.  Some of us like it here and don't mind paying our billls.

I wasn't being a smart ass when i posted about it being a shame folks here can't get wells.  Its a shame that you can't reciprocate when your responding.  If everyone could get wells then the water companies would have to do better. but since they don't have any competition, then they don't have to preform.  I do like it here and i pay my bills.  Unfortunately if everyone does as you are saying, the problem will never be fixed.  Just accepting it and paying the bill offers no solution to the problem that the water is unfit to use. 

If everyone just shut up or leave like you are suggesting, then nothing will ever be solved.  I for one don't ever shut up especially when someone tells me to.    I don't have a problem with rocking a boat I actually love to swim, that is if the water is clean!!!

[Lookatmeknow!!]

Ok, well we actually had well water at our old house.  It was really hard water.  We never drank it either.  We always went to my husband's mothers house and filled up a cooler for water or bought water.  We also had more problems with washing machines getting clogged on the well water.  I feel that the city employees are trying.  I for one don't really blame them.  Do you think that they are purposely not trying to get it fixed?  I don't.  I grew up in Severy and remember having the same problems on and off forever.  I just figured and still do that its something they are working on.  And this is really the first time, that I can remember in years, that I hadn't been able to drink the water.  Yes, it's bad, but I feel they are trying to solve the problem.  At least I hope!!!

[Tobina+1]

emptynest; great post, and how true! 

Unfortunately, water in Elk County is an issue, no matter where you live.  There are a lot of us who don't have access to rural water, and if/when we could... our water bills would be huge to try and pay for the loans that it would take to build it.  But you choose to live in the place where you do, and you learn to deal with the issues (settling tank, filter, water softner).

I still didn't get my question answered about if people in town have water softners?  I was buying salt for mine yesterday and saw that they had some salt with "rust remover" in it.  I thought that would probably be handy for someone who was dealing with the brown water issue.