Residents press for water system fixes; town says tests pass, SEAGO suggests smart meters and engineering

Resident Frances Mock told council the town’s water “is bad” and asserted that old, rusty pipes have not been replaced for years; she said even her dog refuses to drink the tap water. Town Manager Suzanne Harvey responded that the town conducts required testing and posts consumer confidence reports and that tests sent to the Arizona Department of Quality (ADQ) pass, cautioning residents "I don't want you even to go around here, leave here thinking our water is not safe because that is untrue."

William Osborne advised council that options include replacing failing mains, implementing smart meters that report by the hundreds of gallons to improve billing accuracy, and pursuing State Special Project funding to carry out engineering and assessment work before applying to regional CDBG for construction. Council and residents agreed more diagnostic work is needed to identify where mains and meters should be replaced.