COWETA — Gina Keas' dogs hardly drink their water — and when she cleans out their bowls, the basins are orange, brown and black.
She also has high levels of copper in her swimming pool. And the problems continue when she tries to clean her bathroom.
“When you clean your toilet, two days later, you have to do it again because there’s mold in your toilet, around your toilet, and all in the tub of it," said Keas.
Since 2019, Keas has lived in Coweta. The city of just over 10,000 sits southeast of the Tulsa metro area.
This month, Keas and anyone else who lives in Coweta have endured levels of manganese that exceed local officials' "standards as a city," according to a statement released Tuesday.
The EPA recommends less than 0.05 milligrams of manganese per liter of tap water. Heightened exposure to manganese can cause damage to the lungs, liver and kidneys, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Keas said the city sent her a letter at the end of June saying the water is temporarily safe, but it could cause cancer if someone drank it consistently over a long period. Keas is at least the second resident who says the city sent her this letter.
Public Radio Tulsa has reached out to Coweta about the reported letter.
According to the city's statement, the manganese levels increased thanks to extreme heat, heavy rain and mechanical issues at the city's reservoir.
"We accepted the resignation of our water plant superintendent (Tuesday)," the statement reads. "We will be moving forward with the assistance of our Water Treatment and State Compliance Laboratory Consulting Teams to ensure we return to normal operation and are delivering a quality product as soon as possible."
Officials said in the statement that they started "targeted chemical application" at the water plant and at the reservoir. They said this will lower the manganese levels, remove discoloration in the water and remove the off-taste.
They will also repair equipment at the water plant and test the water through OMNI Water Consultants, the statement reads.
In the meantime, residents and business owners in Coweta are figuring out how to live with the water. Clayton Ashley, who owns and operates Blended Barber Company, says he's concerned someone could get sick if he washes their hair with the water.
“I don’t know the specifics about the algae that’s in the water or what the harm is to people, but I imagine it affects me," he said.
Longtime resident Leon Bogard has used a reverse osmosis filter to purify his drinking water since he and his wife moved to Coweta in 2006. He said they've washed clothes and dishes with tap water, but have never drank it from the faucet.
Bogard says the water he filters "is darker and seems a lot dirtier" nowadays.
"When I clean out my filters, they’re half-covered because of the junk that comes through the filters," he said.
Bogard, Keas and Ashley all said Coweta's water has been an issue since they've lived in the city.
“I hope they get it fixed this time," Bogard said.
This story was updated for language around EPA standards.
