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Residents voice concerns over yellow tap water
RACHEL TOWNSEND
Managing Editor
Some Dyer County residents who are consumers of Dyersburg Suburban Consolidated Utility District [DSCUD] are experiencing discolored water—yellow water. While officials at DSCUD were unavailable to comment, board member Tom White stated that employees are diligently working to restore integrity to the water system.
He noted that discoloration appears to be isolated. White said the water system is roughly 60 years old and DSCUD is doing everything within funding capabilities to provide the best possible service to customers.
The State Gazette attempted to contact DSCUD’s attorney, Mark Johnston, on Thursday, September 19; however, Johnston’s office informed staff that he was unavailable.
Consumers took to social media on September 19 posting images of the water and demanding improvements be made, including Dyer County Commissioner Greg Vestal. Dyersburg Suburban Consolidated Utility District service is not affiliated with the Dyersburg Water Plant.
Vestal told State Gazette, “Residents out here deserve clean water; they also deserve to know why after DSCUD receiving monthly bills from customers and receiving tax dollars why they don’t have clean water.”
Speaking to local experts in underground utilities, State Gazette was informed that the reason tap water may run yellowj is possibly due to galvanized pipes breaking down over a period of time. Experts indicated that the pipes' breakdown could be caused by low or poor maintenance.
Residents out here deserve clean water; they also deserve to know why after DSCUD receiving monthly bills from customers and receiving tax dollars why they don’t have clean water.
According to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, DSCUD currently supplies a population of 3,739 residents, with 1,484 connections. The Utility District serves the southern and western side of Dyersburg in Dyer County, from the south side of the North Fork Forked Deer River to Hwy 104 west to the Obion River.
In a 2023 water quality report, DSCUD was found to be in compliance with water standards, however, levels for trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids, and chlorine were on the higher end of the range. For transparency, the 2023 DSCUD water report is attached to this article. A 2024 report is not yet available.
