Black Water Flows From The Faucets In Crystal City, Texas

Black water is flowing from the faucets in Crystal City, Texas. Folks in the town, known as the “Spinach Capital of the World,” report having a black sludge that resembles crude oil filling their sinks, tubs, and washers every time they turn on the faucet.

Crystal City, Texas, officials have stated that the black water problem began when the town’s water tank was drained for the first time in many decades. When the tank was drained last Wednesday, all the built-up sediment on the bottom of the water tank was washed into the water lines and ultimately into homes, schools, and businesses.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, nearly all of the elected officials in Crystal City were recently arrested on corruption charges. The city is located about 115 miles southwest of San Antonio and is home to approximately 7,500 people.

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The black sludge pouring out of faucets in Crystal City was accompanied by a wretched smell, according to comments by residents to local media outlets. City Water and Wastewater Superintendent Carlos Ramirez revealed that the city’s water tower not been cleaned in “20 or 30 years,” according to a report by the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

“It looked like black sludge. They were comparing it to oil — that dark,” Nora Flores-Guerrero said during an interview with KSATNews. “We didn’t get a proper warning. They didn’t post anything or send out any type of message to warn the residents. It was pretty scary.”

Black water resembling oil has been coming from the faucets in Crystal City, Texas. #USA pic.twitter.com/hOX2C8RhJP

— M Barak Cherguia (@CherguiaMbark) February 22, 2016

The Texas Commission on Environment Quality (TCEQ) has loaded up multiple trucks with bottled water and driven them to Crystal City. State health officials are now warning residents in the town not to drink the water after the problem was discovered, but lifted such restrictions on Saturday morning. The city tested water samplings and declared that the liquid coming out of the faucets in Crystal City came back negative for any harmful matter.

Residents are concerned about long-term health issues which could be lurking inside their bodies due to the years that they have been drinking water that has been exposed to the sediment build-up.

TCEQ representative Andrea Morrow had this to say about the black water in the Texas town during an interview with CNN.

“While the most recent samples testing for water pressure, chlorination, and bacteria have come back in the acceptable range, we would like to wait until we have the complete suite of sample results back until we can give the all-clear. We may have these as soon as Tuesday. In the meantime, we would still urge residents not to drink discolored water, and to boil city water before drinking it.”

Texas town under boil order after water turns black, sludgy following water tower drain: https://t.co/Tblq4D6duupic.twitter.com/dJlXEmvNxL

— ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) February 21, 2016

A spinach festival is held in Crystal City every year, and a statue of Popeye stands proudly outside of the local city hall building. Recently elected city councilman Jose Barajas was the only member of the city council arrested earlier this month on federal corruption charges.

Crystal City Mayor Ricardo Lopez, former city councilman Gilbert Urrabazo, city attorney and city manager James Jonas, and council members Roel Mata and Roeglion were all arrested for allegedly taking bribes and kickbacks while serving in their respective official capacities. Businessman Ngoc Tri Nguyen was also arrested during the headline-grabbing FBI bust.

Councilman Margo Rodriguez was indicted last month on charges related to the smuggling of illegal immigrants into the Texas border town.

What do you think about the black water in Crystal City, Texas?

[Image via Shutterstock]