Local water board hears residents’ complaints about dirty water, approves staffing and leave changes

At a March 4, 2025 meeting of the local water system board, residents and customers pressed officials about months of discolored drinking water and potential health risks, while the board approved personnel and leave measures to bolster operations.

Board and staff members said the plant is operating at reduced capacity after a clarifier and a filter failed, and that contractors who can perform the necessary rehabilitation are several weeks to months behind. James Burns, the water system manager, said, "The water is being treated, the chlorine and all the chemicals needed to treat the water. Okay. We're running on less than half a plant right now. We've got a clarifier there. We've got a filter blown out." Burns said contractors have been contacted and estimated repairs could take "16 to 20 weeks." He also said the plant team is changing chemicals and working on temporary fixes to reduce carryover into the distribution system.

Residents described the water they received at taps and in storage tanks as visibly discolored. One resident said the water "looks just like chocolate syrup." Another resident asked specifically about safety for an immunocompromised child and whether showering posed infection risks; the manager responded that if a household is very concerned they should avoid drinking it, and reiterated that staff are working to improve quality.

Why it matters: board members and engineers said the plant is old, built for a much smaller customer base, and that a long-running clarifier problem and a blown filter reduced treatment capacity. The board approved funding and a contractor bid for a new clarifier and discussed options for seeking grants and technical help from state and nonprofit resources.

What officials said and promised

Mary Quick, identified in the meeting as interim manager, and David Wyatt of engineering firm Wyatt Dolan Butler told the room the board has approved a lowest-and-best bid from a contractor named Superior and has funding in place; the issue now is contractor scheduling. The board and staff noted regulatory obligations: the system performs monthly state-mandated testing and will issue required public notices if a boil order is necessary. The board also discussed pursuing federal grants, county assistance and help from the Choctaw Nation and the Oklahoma Rural Water Association (ORWA) for circuit-rider technical support.

Discussion vs. decisions

Much of the meeting was discussion and public comment about water quality, health concerns and system maintenance. The board made several formal personnel and policy decisions during the session: it approved the consent agenda and a calendar-year sick-leave policy for full-time employees (five days, no carryover); it approved hiring Cooper Oaks and placed the hire on probation; and it authorized interim manager Mary Quick to set a temporary pay increase for plant supervisor James Burns, starting at $20 per hour with a six-month review. Minutes record motions, seconds and the board’s approvals for those items.

Key numbers and technical details

- Manager James Burns said contractors estimated repairs could take "16 to 20 weeks." (repair scheduling) - Burns said the plant was built in the 1960s for about 600 customers and now serves over 3,000. - Burns said the system is producing roughly 400 gallons per minute while operating with the reduced clarifier/filter capacity; he said capacity could reach about 850 gpm when fully repaired. - The board said the system holds "about a million gallons of storage" that must be cycled to push clarified water through the distribution system. - The board referenced a violation letter dated 03/27/2024 and reported regular state testing ("10 to 12 samples a month" was discussed).

Health and regulatory notes

Board members and residents raised concerns about cryptosporidium and other parasites common to surface-water supplies; meeting participants said parasites are not easily inactivated by disinfection alone and must be removed by filtration. Staff said they submit required samples to the state DEQ and will follow DEQ guidance, including issuing any required boil orders and public notices.

Next steps and follow-up

Board members asked staff to prepare a clear, itemized risk-and-repair plan that could be shared publicly and used when applying for grants or when meeting with state or federal officials. A county commissioner in attendance identified themselves and offered help pursuing grants and some maintenance support. Staff said they will continue sampling and contact ORWA and other technical resources; the new clarifier contract has been accepted and is on the contractor’s schedule.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of consent agenda: motion made and seconded; approved (no roll-call tally recorded in transcript). - Policy: five days of sick leave per calendar year for full-time employees, no carryover (agenda item #5): motion made, seconded, approved. - Employment: hire of Cooper Oaks (agenda item #6): motion made, seconded, approved; manager authorized to put hire on six-month probation and determine pay. - Compensation: board authorized interim manager Mary Quick to raise plant supervisor James Burns to $20 per hour with a six-month review: motion made, seconded, approved.

Ending

Officials said the system is old and repairs will take time. Multiple residents urged the board to publish a short, concrete plan and timeline so the community can track progress. The board said it has funding for a new clarifier and that getting licensed contractors scheduled is currently the primary barrier to completing repairs and restoring clear water.