Compton Residents Complain Of Dark & Rust-Colored Tap Water, State Officials Say It’s Safe

Some residents in Compton and Willowbrook, California are currently dealing with discolored water and they want something done about it. According to ABC 7, there have been numerous complaints about brown, rust-colored water coming out of the tap and many residents are not comfortable drinking or bathing in it.

“When I see it, I’m depressed. I feel bad because I feel like they are not treating us like human beings,” resident Karen Lewis told ABC 7.

However, state officials are saying the discolored water doesn’t pose any health threats and there are no signs of bacteria.

According to reports, the water in this part of the county comes from the Sativa Water District and affects about 1,600 customers. Sativa held a press conference this week and said “flushing” is to blame. “Four times a year, crews open fire hydrants to flush out the build-up of minerals from inside the pipes,” they said.

In response, the company gave residents a rust and iron stain remover called (Red)-B-Gone.

“They said, ‘Just put this in the water, and it will be OK,'” said attorney Mark Ravis, who is representing some of the residents.

“All it does is just clear the rust, but it’s still in there, and there’s more chemicals in there,” resident Genoveva Camargo added.

Many residents aren’t convinced the flushing works and are demanding for some type of change. ABC reposts that the state is currently doing an investigation.