For months now families are complaining about black and smelly water pouring from their faucets, toilets, and showers in a Southern California community just south of Los Angeles.
“We don’t want to drink our water, because our water is black,” said Emy Sebastian, a citizen of Gardena California. “My daughter says, ‘Mommy the water is black and it stinks. Why does the water stink?’ She doesn’t want to wash her clothes.”
The phenomenon has been going on too long for residents and they don’t feel that enough is being done to correct the situation. Diane Morita, disgusted by the smell, told NBC4 Southern California, that the water “has an odor of rotten eggs or sewer smell. I’m concerned because it’s getting worse, if it’s even safe.”
Morita explained that she has been told by Golden State Water Company, the utility that services Gardena, that the water is safe to drink. Yet, she said that she doesn’t know anyone who will drink it. The utility has told NBC4 that that they are investigating the situation and insist that the black water is an isolated occurrence.
Kate Nutting, general manager for Golden State said that “the water is clear right now we will continue to investigate to determine what caused it last Wednesday, what has caused it in the past so that we can prevent it from happening again.”
Residents complain that the putrid water costs them extra money because they have to stock up on bottled water and replace grimy water heater filters contaminated by the sludge. One person said that a Golden State official told her he would credit her account $10 for the expense. She says it’s not enough.