NORTON, Mass. — Brown and yellow drinking water has become a growing concern for people in Norton.
Officials say the reason why the water's coloration has changed is because they have been flushing the local fire hydrants.
Homeowners, however, are sick of the discolored water. Ann-Marie Kirshon and her family have lived in Norton for eight years, and throughout that time she says she's always had issues with her water and how it varies in shades of brown and yellow.
Its been a while since Ann-Marie drew a bath because every time she does, the tub becomes full of dirty, brown water.
"Some days are worse than others, some days its a really dark brown and some days its just sort of yellowish," Kirshon said.
Kirshon says she's seen water like this before in towns she's previously lived in, but only when they were flushing the fire hydrants.
"We thought 'they can't be flushing the hydrants this many times a year!'," Ann-Marie said. "It's almost every single week a days per week."
Norton water officials say that fall fire hydrant flushing is currently underway, and that dirty water complaints have spiked since it started last Sunday.
The department says they're fixed the the problem for all 50 customers who complained.
Kirshon says she hasn't called to complain because her family invested in a water filter, which they use for virtually everything.
From coffee making to cooking, they have to rely on filtered water because anything that comes from the tap "just looks and smells gross," according to Kirshon.
Citizens have mobilized themselves to create a Facebook group called "Sick of dirty water in Norton, Massachusetts", which now has hundred of members who share photos of the discolored water complaining about the conditions.
"We're told that it has something to do with manganese, that there's a lot of it in our water, that it's not dangerous but is unsightly," Kirshon said. "I am hopeful that it will be resolved - you know, it's a great town, it would just be nice if we had some clear water."
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