SCHUMER CALLS FOR FEDERAL GAO INVESTIGATION OF COMPANY THAT HIKED NASSAU COUNTY WATER RATES; QUESTIONS COMPANY’S USE OF FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR IMPROVEMENTS WHILE PASSING ON DOUBLE DIGIT RATE HIKES AND ‘SURCHARGES’ TO CONSUMERS
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Some Seminole County homeowners say their tap water looks like sewer water, and the smell isn’t much better. The homeowners live just outside of Altamonte Springs.
The water comes from one of Central Florida’s most troubled utilities.
“I’ve been here for about 50 years and I’ve never seen it this bad before,” said Leroy Neal, resident.
Leroy Neal said he’s throwing away money each month on water he can’t drink. He and his neighbors on Mercury Street in Altamonte Springs say their water often turns yellow and smells, and is hardly good enough to use on their grass.
“This water is muddy. We can’t drink it. We can’t take a bath in it. We can’t do anything with it. It’s terrible,” Neal said.
Neighbors like Sarah Johnson, have been collecting the water in jugs because the water is not always dirty.
Residents say Aqua Utilities occasionally flushes the lines and the water ends up looking clear. But in a few months it just gets dirty again.
When it’s not filthy, Johnson says it reeks of chlorine.
“Each time I drink that water, my stomach hurts, so I stop drinking that water,” Johnson said.
The complaints of residents along Mercury Street are an addition to a long list of other complaints across Central Florida about Aqua Utilities.
WFTV called Aqua Utilities six times this week to ask how the water in Neal’s neighborhood gets so dirty. However, the calls were not returned.
“I’m afraid to get in the water to bathe, afraid to drink it. And afraid to give anyone else who comes in a glass of water is a shame,” Johnson said.
For Neal, Johnson, and their neighbors, many of them are buying bottled water to drink until the problem is fixed, but so far nothing has been done.
Port Richey, Pasco County, FL
The boil water advisory issued by Aqua Utilities Florida (Aqua) for its customers in the Jasmine Lakes Water System has been lifted effective Tuesday, April 20, 2010. Acceptable bacteria sample results were obtained from sets of water samples collected from the well on April 15, 16, and 19, 2010.
There was a fire at 5715 Poinciana over 3weeks ago. What a surprise for the fire department – no water!!!!
The fire hydrants aren’t working at these street locations and are tagged as not working by Aqua.
Are there more???
#1 Platt & Jacaranda (broke)
#2 Poinciana & Byrd (broke)
Questions for my County Commissioners/ Polk County Fire/ South Florida Water Management District
Who does these inspections?
Who checks on our safety?
How could this happen?
How long have they been out?
How many still don’t work in the Aqua area.
Why would it take so long to get corrected?
Must somebody die because Aqua is getting a free skate?
PSC Staff Recommendation 4-9-2010
View the video at: http://www.wfsu.org/psc/psc031610.php
Quality water at reasonable rates