Kimberly Hocknell of Mabank, Texas learned South West Water Company posted a boil water notice until further notice over the holiday season.
MABANK, Texas — Getting a simple glass of water has been tough for Kimberly Hocknell the past week in Mabank, Texas.
She recently graduated and purchased new home. But after only nine days, she’s experienced one major issue:
“I finally got into the house and found out that my water is not really drinkable,” said Hocknell.
Hocknell said not only did it not look safe, but it didn’t smell safe. The milky-like liquid coming out of her faucets left her with questions.
Hocknell first learned about the discoloration after her mother decided to test the water right after she moved in.
“I was like, oh, it could be because it’s a new house, maybe something is in the pipe, maybe it just needs to be left on for a little bit and then maybe the water will turn clear,” said Hocknell.
She learned on social media she is not the only person in her area with milky water. She also learned that South West Water Company posted a boil water notice for several service areas. The notice even warned against giving pets the water without boiling, another concern for Hocknell and her pet turtles Dean and Luna.
“I just have this fear that I am going to drink it and I am going to get really, really, really sick, or my pets are going to get really sick by consuming the water,” said Hocknell.
Staff at the South West Water Company Granbury location are off for the holidays.
A statement from Texas Water Utilities, which oversees South West Water, says:
Once Texas Water Utilities was alerted to the customer’s concerns this morning, we sent an employee to speak with the customer and flush their pipelines.
Experts say customers who notice a sudden change in the appearance of their water should check home treatment devices and check with their water utility provider on the status of their water system.
South West Water Company posted an update about the boil water notice on its Facebook page Wednesday, to let customers know the importance of taking precautions. The post includes a link to a video showing an example of what to do.
After WFAA’s inquiry about Hocknell’s water, South West dispatched a technician to flush her system at the new home not just once, but twice. Although the technician could not explain the smell of the water, according to Hocknell, her water did finally start running clear again.
Still, after buying bottled water for the past few days, Hocknell plans to follow the advice of the utility company’s boil water notice until she and her community get an all clear that it’s safe to drink the water again.