Columbia Water and Light: Discolored water investigation continues

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Water and Light workers are looking into what is causing discolored water to come out of some people's taps.

Matt Nestor, the Columbia utilities spokesperson says over 200 residents reported discolored water complaints to the Columbia call center.

Both Ninth Street Public House and La Siesta said they resorted to serving bottled water because of the issue. This also led Ninth Street Public House to close it's doors early Wednesday night.

"So we did have to shut down, we said, 'you know, we can't do this,'" James Kanne, the owner of Ninth Street Public House.

The discoloration is often caused by sediment in water mains that is stirred up when water pressure or flow changes, Water and Light said in a news release.

"If that sediment gets stirred up, it can cause some discoloration in the water," Nestor said.

Water and Light on Wednesday found a main break near Stadium Boulevard at Cosmo Park that might have caused some customers to get discolored water, the utility says. Crews were working on the main Thursday.

No customers are under a boil advisory, the utility said.

Colton Berthold, who lives near West Worley says he noticed the color change but he wasn't worried.

"We boiled it before we used it for anything but haven't noticed anything besides that," Berthold said.

The utility said workers will keep looking for unreported main breaks but that tap water should clear up throughout the week.

At 9 p.m. Thursday, Nestor said the complaints had stopped.

The city encourages people with discolored water to call 573-874-2489 to help the utility track problem areas.