Residents press Yanceyville officials over discolored water as Inframark reports treatment‑plant repairs

Residents raised ongoing concerns about discolored, bleach‑smelling tap water during the Town of Yanceyville council meeting on March 7, 2023, prompting the council and its contractor to outline steps to investigate and mitigate the problem.

Tamara Bennett, a resident, said she had experienced recurring discoloration—sometimes yellow, at worst rust‑colored—and a strong bleach smell, and she said prior complaints had not produced clear results. "It often happens like clockwork especially on the holidays with discoloration," she said. Mayor Pro Tem Odessa Gwynn said she has noticed discolored water since 2020 and urged the town to avoid a situation like Camp Lejeune or Flint, Michigan.

Gary Stainback, the town's Inframark representative, told council staff had collected distribution water‑quality samples and that the Feb. 22 sampling for disinfection‑by‑product analytes (trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids) returned compliance and moved the running averages below the 80 parts‑per‑billion threshold. He said a finished‑water pump check valve was repaired and that the contractor and town staff are coordinating hydrant flushing where needed. Stainback also reported a mechanical failure at the wastewater treatment plant—an automatic decanting valve—which caused elevated biological‑oxygen‑demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS) in recent effluent; operators replaced a faulty control cable, capacitor and the decanter actuator motor and ordered a new limit switch to complete repairs, with commercial‑lab compliance samples pending.

Town Manager Kamara Barnett said the water‑system disturbance at Christmas Eve—when a valve malfunction reversed flow and loosened sediments in the distribution network—helped explain intermittent discoloration in low‑use properties until lines are fully flushed. Inframark asked residents reporting problems to provide contact information so staff can retest on site.

Council and staff agreed on steps: continued distribution sampling, targeted hydrant flushing in coordination with public works, retesting at complainants' premises, and improved customer outreach via the town's emergency/notifications page. No confirmed public‑health exceedances were announced at the meeting; trade‑lab results for the wastewater effluent were pending.

What residents need to know
- The Feb. 22 DBP sampling event returned compliance and lowered running averages below 80 ppb, according to Inframark. - If customers experience discolored or odorous water, Inframark asked them to provide contact information so staff can retest at the premise. - The town is undertaking additional hydrant flushing and will post advisories when service disruptions or system work may affect water quality.

Next steps
Town staff will continue sampling, coordinate hydrant flushing with Public Works, and report results when commercial lab data are available. Residents with persistent problems were invited to contact Town Hall to arrange retesting.