Madison County Resident Demands Action on Discolored Water
MADISON COUNTY, IN — A discolored water issue plaguing residents of Madison County has escalated into a public health and environmental controversy, with residents and advocates challenging local and federal agencies over a lack of oversight and action.
The concerns extend beyond what’s coming out of the tap to include potential contamination from hazardous sites that have gone unaddressed for years. Bri, a Madison County resident, has been a leading voice on the issue, collecting data, videos, and firsthand accounts of the discolored water.
“My water is often a fluorescent yellow color, and tests have shown high levels of TTHMs and even chloroform,” she stated. “City and county officials say it’s safe to drink despite IDEM and EPA repeatedly noting it’s not safe nor advisable to drink discolored water.”
This citizen’s activism led to a major development when they contacted the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“I literally called the EPA, and they told me, ‘we just haven’t been out there because nobody was interested,'” Bri recounted. The EPA’s subsequent visit to Madison County led to a surprising revelation: the agency discarded a 510 page and 90-page document that deemed a local hazardous site a threat to human health, choosing to “start over.” This decision could mean a four-year wait for any new answers.
The local water issues are believed to be connected to a larger environmental problem in Madison County, which has Superfund sites. One of these, the National Priority Listing in Anderson has reportedly not been addressed since 2018 The resident believes a lack of oversight over these sites and brownfields is a major factor in the area’s ongoing water problems.
“I live near a corrective action site that is in operation and in maintenance phase. It was previously listed as a superfund site for soil and groundwater contamination of lead arsenic chromium and Volatile organic compounds,” Bri said. “I found out that an employee there admitted their emissions are uncontrollable.”
This admission, reportedly tied to a remodel of a 37-year-old tank, has prompted the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to issue a warning letter to the company. The company was previously cited as a Superfund site for contaminating groundwater with chemicals including chromium and lead.
Bri also raised concerns about the local water utility, claiming the water treatment plant does not have a state-approved chlorine operator. They also have a video of an operator from a neighboring town in the same county stating that the water has “PFAS above action level.” When asked about their complaints, the resident claims the water director reportedly responded with a sigh, saying, “oh god.”
This has left not only her but others in the area feeling frustrated and ignored. The advocate claims their efforts to raise awareness have led to being blocked from local community pages online. With reports of other residents experiencing lead issues, E. coli, and bacteria in their water, the situation is becoming increasingly dire.
“All these people are saying they’ve had issues with their water for years,” the resident said. “What if this is the missing link? If we just simply know about the toxic zones around us, we can do things to protect ourselves.”
Bri also states that “If we know about these sites we the people have the opportunity to step in and ensure oversight is in place to make a positive impact on our community and hopefully a lessened strain on our water supply.” She wants to bridge the gap but feels as though officials in the area confuse the residents with contradictory information.
“We are shut out at meetings. We are left to survive on our own, with all these water issues county wide.”
Officials did respond to WIBC for comment in regards to this issue, and can be read at its entirety below:
September 4, 2025
The City of Anderson is committed to providing safe, clean, and reliable water for all residents and businesses. Recent statements regarding Anderson’s water and environmental conditions contain questionable information and lack clarity which make them difficult to specifically address. However, the city wishes to provide clarification.
The city of Anderson has one Superfund site. Once it was declared a Superfund site in 2018, it fell under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which began holding community interviews and informational meetings in 2024, and in May of 2025 began exploratory drilling for their investigation and cleanup effort. The City is fully aware of this site and is cooperating with the EPA in its investigation to identify responsible parties.
Importantly, Anderson’s drinking water remains safe for all residents, and the city continues to take every precaution to ensure that safety. Anderson’s water is regularly tested and consistently meets or exceeds all state and federal safety standards. The City’s most recent Annual Water Quality Report confirmed that Anderson’s water is within all EPA requirements. This report was made available to all residents and is available on the City’s website for public review.
The City acknowledges that temporary water discoloration may sometimes occur due to factors such as aging pipes, water main breaks, service line leaks, authorized contractors utilizing our hydrants for necessary work, unauthorized use of our hydrants for various reasons, or street cleaning crews filling water tanks lowering the system water pressure at different levels and time frames. While these actions may affect appearance, they do not typically compromise water safety.
Additionally, the city of Anderson just completed their annual hydrant flushing program on September 2nd. It is a 16-week program, and the public was notified via print media one week in advance through two notices, as well as in the mayor’s monthly newsletter. The program consists of daily fire hydrant flushing to remove mineral deposits that settle in the mains under normal conditions.
It is a recommended maintenance process supported by the American Water Works Association, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). This program also allows the city to inspect and identify fire hydrants that require maintenance or replacement so the city can effectively fight fires when needed. Discolored water and periods of lower pressure for residents during this time is a normal side effect and, in most cases, will clear up in the home if the customer runs the cold-water side of their faucet for 3-5 minutes. If it is not clear in a few days the water department will come out and flush the area or the customers’ service line again to clear it up. This information is all covered in the public communication.
The homeowners’ internal plumbing can also be a source of discolored water, especially if they have point of use devices on their service lines and faucets such as filters that haven’t been changed regularly, or water softeners that are malfunctioning or haven’t been maintained properly. Anderson’s drinking water meets all Federal and State drinking water compliance requirements through daily and scheduled compliance sampling and testing.
“The health and safety of Anderson residents remain our highest priority,” said Water Department Superintendent Neal McKee. “We will continue to be transparent, proactive, and forward-looking in safeguarding our community’s water supply.”
For more information, residents are encouraged to review the Annual Water Quality Report available at https://www.cityofanderson.com/572/Water-Quality-Reports
