Prichard citizens questioning drinking water after boiling water notice

PRICHARD, Ala. (WALA) - Many people in Prichard are questioning their drinking water after Mayor Jimmie Gardner suggested a boil water notice Monday, only to later backtrack.

Mayor Gardner later said the Alabama Department of Environmental Management believed the water was safe.

At Monday’s monthly Prichard water board meeting, the room was packed with concerned customers. There was lots of debate over the Alabama Village moratorium and boil water notice.

According to water board chairman Russell Heidelburg, he said he contacted ADEM around 4:15 p.m. just before the meeting, and ADEM said the water was good.

Heidelburg said he does not know why Mayor Gardner suggested the boil notice.

Gardner said boiling your water is a ‘suggestion,’ and he encourages people to use only bottled water.

Though some residents still don’t trust the water.

“Bottled water for me, for sure,” said Sheron Gross, Prichard water customer. “What I want to know is do you take baths in it? What should you do when it comes to ordinary water just touching you?”

Others are concerned about chemicals and bacteria.

“I had to go to Walmart and buy like six cases of water just to cook food, and I go to my mom’s house at night to take baths because every time I turn on my water, it’s like brown,” said Tynisha Dailey, another customer.

Heidelburg also said tests on the water have been done, and he promised to get the people those results.

Once again, the mayor said ADEM believed the water is safe.

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