Moberly mobile home park residents still awaiting water restoration

MOBERLY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Residents at Riley’s Mobile Home Park in Moberly are still without running water as contractors work to address contamination concerns.

Work started on Wednesday to restore water at the park after it was shut down last week. The property manager hopes to restore service this week, pending water testing and city approval.

Scott McGarvey, a spokesperson for the City of Moberly, said contractors must disinfect the water lines, flush them and send samples to a laboratory for testing before water service can be restored.

McGarvey said disinfection takes about 24 hours, followed by flushing and laboratory testing, which takes at least another 24 hours. The timeline also depends on how long flushing takes and when samples reach the lab.

Edward Rosales, the property manager, said contractors are continuing to work despite the rain and hope to restore service this week, pending testing and city approval.

“Despite the rain, our contractors remain on site working to restore water service as quickly as possible. We hope to have service restored this week, pending completion of the required testing and approval from the city,” Rosales said.

Contractors were at the park again Thursday afternoon, removing water from a hole before the disinfection process could begin.

“We want these residents taken care of, and so the city is doing everything it can to connect people with services, as well as making it clear to the property owner what our expectations are so that we can get this resolved as quickly as possible,” McGarvey said. 

For residents, the lack of running water has disrupted daily life.

Beatric Castillo said she first noticed dark water and sewage odors in her home in September. She said the smell persisted for months and believes the water contamination affected her health and made her dogs sick.

Castillo said she has had to find alternative ways to meet basic needs, including relying on a friend to bring her water for showering, cooking and cleaning. She has also been reusing water for her plants.

She pays about $500 a month in rent, which she said is too much given the park’s conditions and lack of reliable water service.

Castillo also said management has been unresponsive to residents’ concerns about the water and other issues.

“They don't care. We're living here like animals. We are not animals. We are persons. We need somebody to pay attention to this,” Castillo said. 

Shannon Trainor, who has lived at the park for three years, said his girlfriend has been taking empty tea jugs to work to fill with water. He said he has been checking his faucets every hour, but as of Thursday morning, he was still waiting for service to return.

Trainor said he does not know whether residents will be without water for days or weeks.

He and other members of his household have also been delivering bottled water and filled jugs to neighbors, many of whom he said have mobility issues.

“We would like…something occurring out here. I don't know what, but somebody needs to figure out something,” Trainor said.