What is wrong with Blaine's water?

Updated: 08/29/2006 07:55:15 PM

Imagine wanting to fix yourself a glass of water. You grab your ice cubes and you realize your ice cubes are green. This is happening right now to Blaine residents.

"Yeah, it looks like swamp water. that's what it looks like," said Pat Tysver, of Blaine.

And it's only getting worse.

"All of a sudden, black dirt.... in the bathtub, also in the washer," Tysver said. In fact, it stained her clothes, ruining them. She said she has to turn all of her faucets on and let them run for about 30 seconds before the water clears out.

Another Blaine man's daughter screamed when the water came out darker than this. He thinks he should be reimbursed for paying for the colored water.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS brought the dark-colored water to the city officials to try and get some answers.

It turns out, the city knows about the problem and is trying to fix it.

Blaine city officials tell 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that the color is coming from rust, made of elements, like iron and manganese, that are naturally prevalent in Blaine's aquifers. Iron manganese are not dangerous, officials tell us, and the elements are found in small amounts in most water.

So, the water is safe, but, not appetizing. That's why the city is spending millions on new treatment plants that will make the water go from brown, to clear water, virtually free of iron and manganese.