Discolored Tap Water A Source Of Frustration For Residents In Watts

WATTS (CBSLA.com) — Discolored water is coming out of the taps in Watts again and that has a lot of people very frustrated.

On Tuesday, at several homes in the area, residents say the tap water was yellow.

For some, the guessing game of what color will my tap water be today has been going on for months.

Crews with the Department of Water and Power Wednesday were in the area flushing out the lines in order to remove the sediment in the pipes that causes the discoloration.

"During the flushing operations, we're trying to isolate the sections as we go," said Joe Mundine, a DWP supervisor.

Mundine explained that, though the flushing may wash out the sediment that causes the discoloration, the water may still be off-color for a day or so.

"We are hoping that the flushing operations will prevent any discoloration due to the sediment in the mains," Mundine said.

The DWP could not fully explain how the sediment got in the pipes in the first place and why it was localized to the area.

It is a lengthy process to get rid of it and the department says it will take at least another month before the flushing is completed.

Despite discoloration, the DWP says daily tests show that the water is not contaminated. It's just not appealing.