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Pocomoke officials hear resident water-quality complaints; chief and volunteer built city app for emergency notifications; city offers free water testing
Summary
Residents reported discolored water and staining in the Winterquarters Drive area; council discussed free water testing the city will arrange. Chief Hancock and a developer presented a city app for push notifications with a 'call police' button; the app is expected to be operational within 30 days.
Several residents from Winterquarters Drive and other neighborhoods raised concerns about discolored water, staining of laundry and apparent rust in household water. One resident said filters and pipe replacements had not fully resolved the problem and urged homeowners to have service lines to their houses inspected.
A council speaker announced the city offers free water testing for homeowners through a program the city has arranged; residents were told to contact City Hall to request testing at no cost to homeowners. Officials said line flushing sometimes clears debris and that homeowners should report recurring or unusual conditions.
Separately, Chief Hancock and a city developer reported completion of a simple city mobile application intended to push instant alerts to residents in emergencies and to host city news and press releases. The app includes a prominent “call police” button that will place a direct call to the Pocomoke City police department (intended to reduce mistaken 911 routing), a notifications center for emergency messages, and a tab for social media and press releases. The developer said app-store review processes could take time, but the application should be operational within 30 days.
Why it matters: Discolored or rusty water affects household health perception and quality of life; a free testing option allows homeowners to determine water quality. The new app could improve the city’s ability to notify residents quickly in emergencies and provide a direct call function to local police.
What comes next: Residents with water concerns were asked to contact City Hall for a no-cost water test; officials expect the city app to be available in app stores within about 30 days pending the stores’ review process.
