Elm City water outage renews frustration about quality concerns, Town says fixes are on the way

For decades, people who live in Elm City have questioned the quality of the water coming from their taps.

Last week, a water outage left the town without water for hours, renewing concerns among residents who say they’ve spent years dealing with discolored, foul-smelling water and repeated notices about water quality problems.

Many residents told WRAL News they no longer drink the water and rely instead on bottled water for cooking and drinking.

“I can actually taste the nastiness of the water," said Patricia Atkinson.

Atkinson is among the residents who say they have little faith in the town’s water system.

“I don’t trust the water. I don’t even like to bathe in it. I have to shower in it. I don’t trust city water," she said. 

In 2024, WRAL reported that the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality cited Elm City’s water system six times within a six-month period for drinking water violations. Four of those violations involved elevated levels of trihalomethanes, chemical byproducts formed during the water treatment process that can increase cancer risk after long-term exposure. Residents said they regularly received notices warning them about water quality concerns. 

Commissioner Gabe Merando said town officials are finally seeing signs of progress after years of setbacks.

“This is the first time in six years that our infrastructure has not had a violation," he said.

Merando credits a series of infrastructure projects that are now underway throughout the town.

According to DEQ’s Division of Water Infrastructure, it has funded 16 projects in Elm City since 2014, most recently in 2022. Five of these were for drinking water infrastructure.

Town leaders said the centerpiece of the effort is a well rehab project, a major infrastructure improvement initiative expected to be completed by the end of the year. Merando said the project includes new filtration equipment and upgraded well systems designed to address long-standing water quality concerns.

Residents have heard promises before, and many want proof that this round of improvements will be different.

Merando said the difference is that construction is already underway.

"The projects are not just in place. They are moving ahead. Half of them have been bid out. Two of them have contractors working on them. If I left the town today, I would know that I left it in a better spot," he said.