City Of Claremore Responds To Concern Over Discolored Water

Historic flooding this spring is being blamed for a water issue in Claremore.  

It stirred up sediments, turning some residents' drinking water brown. People said after weeks of dirty water, it's clear now. They just hope it stays that way.

"The water just looked brown and yellow, and it consistently was that way," said resident Ashley Buff. 

Buff said the water smelled and tasted bad, had sediments floating around, and this wasn't the first time. 

"We moved over in 2016 to this area, and that's when we really started seeing more severely discolored water," she said. 

Buff's water is still slightly tinted yellow but has gotten better compared to about two weeks ago. The city just wants to clear things up.

"There is no health hazard with the water," said City Manager Jim Thomas. "It's been tested. We test it about 20 times a month, and the water is safe to drink. There is no bacteria."

City manager Jim Thomas said the discoloration was caused by manganese, a chemical present in lakes, which was stirred up from historic flooding in May and may have gotten in the water lines.

"We flushed the lines," Thomas said. "There's no discoloration as of recently."

The city posted their most recent lead and a copper report showing no lead and minimal copper. It's from 2016, which makes Buff wonder if there is anything else in her water.

"When they say folks seem to be confused, that report is misleading at the least," she said. 

Buff said she is continuing to be vocal about her concerns and will be sticking to bottled. The city manager said he wishes people would call city hall to report issues instead of posting to social media. He said they are offering to come and test the water for free if people have concerns.

The city's number is 918-341-1325.