Pittsville residents are complaining about the brown-colored water

PITTSVILLE, Md. — Pittsville residents say muddy water has disrupted their daily lives. The discoloration ranges from yellow to brown.

Jennifer Jenkins, a longtime resident, said the water looks unhealthy. “The toilet may look like urine in the toilet, but it’s actually the water,” she said.

Town Manager Joseph Mangini said the town’s water system has been lagging for years. “There have been occasional times when the town’s water doesn’t look good. It’s not clear, it’s brown,” Mangini said.

For many residents, the water has been a problem for years. Town officials have been working to make improvements to the system, and now they have state support.

Mangini said the upgrades have been in the works for some time. “We’re in the midst of a major upgrade at the water treatment plant. It’s $2.7 million. We got $2.4 million in grants from the state,” he said.

Jenkins told WMDT the discoloration shows up in many areas of the home. “We’ve had stained bathtubs, stained toilets, stained laundry,” she said. “We go through about four cases of bottled water a week.”

Chris McDaniel, another resident, also relies on bottled water. “We buy several cases of bottled water throughout the month,” he said.

Several people told WMDT crews off camera that the water smells like bleach. Town officials confirm that the water is safe to drink, but many residents are not taking the chance.