Las Cruces residents weary of discolored water

Several residents in Las Cruces say they’ve been forced to deal with discolored water and are worried it could pose health risks.

One man said he has to run his water for 10 to 15 minutes before it runs clear, and is sometimes forced to stay at a motel because of the inconvenience.

Despite the discoloration, the City’s Water Utility Department said the water meets all federal safety regulations.

After Abc-7 spoke with residents and the city’s water utility department, a news release was issued from the city urging residents to report the discolored water.

“We can’t determine what’s in it, but we out our trust in the people that are in charge of our water,” Las Crucen Roger Gomez said.

“There was a water line break in mid December, and it was a two-inch line a contractor hit it and run for awhile before it for we were able to get it under control and fixed and subsequently dirty water has kind of moved up,” Adrienne Widmer, Water Resources Administrator with Las Cruces Water Utilities said.

Two months later and several residents in the Mesquite Historic District say they’re still seeing tinted water, and at times, black particles floating around.

Residents don’t know when it’ll happen and how long they’ll experience it. Despite the discoloration, the city’s water utility department says the water meets all federal safety regulations and it’s safe to drink.

“I’d like them to actually test the water at the hydrant because that’s what we saw last night,” Las Crucen Dave Dickinson said.

Officials with the city’s water utility tell residents to let the water run and flush out for 10-15 minutes.

“I’m not convinced that water with black particles is safe to drink,” Dickinson said.

Officials say they’re running water hydrants until the water is clear. Widmer says the water is tested regularly and discoloration will not pose any long term health issues. As far as when she sees the problem being fixed, she couldn’t say exactly when.

“Even though discolored water may be safe, I don’t believe that. And it also makes me wonder if the children of Flint, Michigan were told their water was safe to drink too,” Dickinson said.

If residents would like their water tested for reassurance, they can request it, and it’ll be tested at a water quality lab.