Floresville residents from two neighborhoods, Arrowhead Subdivision and Shady Oaks, continue to face a crisis with their water supply that they say has gone uncorrected despite repeated assurances of improvement from the local water company, CSWR. Shannon Perkins, an Arrowhead resident, showcased a sample of the dark brown water from her home in a recent demonstration. "I won't drink it, I won't bathe in it. I don’t wash white clothing in it," Perkins told KSAT. The water quality concerns were heightened in September when the company informed customers the water tested positive for E. coli.
Residents have sought to voice their concerns directly to CSWR, even resorting to contacting the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), which is now conducting an investigation. Despite the private company's efforts, such as installing automatic flushers and working with the TCEQ's recommendation to coordinate with the Texas Optimization Program (TOP), the community remains skeptical. Perkins openly expressed her distrust in CSWR's declaration that the drinking water is safe, inviting them to come and get a glass of the tap water, as reported by Headtopics.
CSWR has responded to the claims, stating, "The water delivered to our customers is safe to drink and compliant with the environmental and regulatory standards," as reported by KSAT. They attribute the water's discoloration to secondary contaminants like minerals and sediment, which they claim pose no health risks. Their response to concerns over high chlorine levels is to constantly monitor and adjust these levels to ensure the water's disinfection.
The neighboring Shady Oaks community, aligned in frustration with Arrowhead, has also received notices to conserve water while infrastructure work is purportedly undertaken. "Water conservation messaging has been communicated to customers of the Shady Oaks facility, which was experiencing water pressure issues," CSWR explained, noting that they've installed a new well pump and motor and have rehabilitated the well. Shady Oaks residents were not previously informed of these operational updates, a fact only recently revealed by the company according to KSAT news.
