North Carolina county lacked clean water for nearly two weeks after pipe burst

In Anson County, North Carolina, the fallout from a major pipe rupture disrupted daily life for nearly two weeks, with many residents unable to count on clean water from the tap for a number of days.

The boil-water advisory from a July 7 water main break was finally lifted on Monday, July 20, but beforehand, many families were seeing cloudy water, experiencing weak pressure, and depending on bottled water at home.

What's happening?

According to local news station WCCB Charlotte, the problem began with a water main break on July 7 that officials expected to repair within hours. Instead, it left some residents waiting days for running water to return.

Wadesboro resident Walter Liseenby told the local news that the issue remained visible in what did eventually come out of his faucet. "It's cloudy, it's kind of white, but I've just been using it to take a bath with," Liseenby said during the issue. 

The incident has eroded the resident's trust in those responsible for the system. "It makes you feel bad because you gotta trust in the water and the people that control it, but they're not doing their job."

Officials say the issue exposed longstanding problems in the county's water system. 

According to WCCB, Anson County has roughly 850 miles of aging pipes and water lines that have not been properly maintained. County manager Len Sossamon also told the local news that the county needs a new water plant. 

State Representative Mark Brody is seeking $100 million from the state to solve the water issue, but Sossamon has put the cost of a permanent overhaul at up to $1 billion.

Why does it matter?

A prolonged water outage is more than an inconvenience. It can disrupt drinking, cooking, bathing, laundry, sanitation, and basic health routines, especially for families with children, older adults, and people with medical needs.

When residents are without running water or told to boil the water coming out of their taps for more than a week, the burden of a public system failure is pushed onto households.

What's being done?

While the boil advisory remained in effect, Charlotte water crews and state emergency management officials helped Anson County with testing and deliveries of bottled water. 

Now, as of Monday, July 20, the advisory has been lifted, according to local news outlet WCNC.

Local and state leaders are meanwhile discussing funding to address this problem for the future. But the gap between what has been proposed and what may be needed is stark. 

Still, residents say leaders should pay up for a permanent fix.

"I think they need to start fixing it," resident Betty Gaddy told WCCB, voicing what residents want from officials. "They need to give us a big break on these water bills," Gaddy added.

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