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Salem, Indiana community members report tap water improvement

One resident said the water is the best it has looked in seven years of living there. However, many also say it smells strongly of chlorine.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After a week-long "scour flush" of its water system, people living in Salem, Indiana say their water color has greatly improved.

The city started flushing dirty water out of its pipes on Sunday Nov. 12 after five weeks of people reporting brown water throughout the system. An employee at Salem Water Works said the flushing was over Monday morning, and WHAS11 found many people pleased with the progress on Facebook.

"Best it's ever been, and I've lived here for seven years," one resident said.

WHAS11 posted in a private Salem Facebook group Monday morning and asked people how their water was looking. The majority of responses were positive.

Credit: WHAS11
Two of the photos sent to WHAS11 Monday showing improved water color.

"Mine's clear but I won't drink it," another person said.

One person said they were still having brown water Sunday on North High Street, which runs north-south through downtown. 

While the color has improved, many people also complained of the water having a chlorine smell. This is something the city warned would happen.

"I know people are a little concerned right now about the chlorine levels, but because of the flush right now, we are running a little on the high side to make sure everything stays satisfactory," Water Superintendent Russell Brown said at a public works meeting on Nov. 13.

The city didn't provide an update Monday when the FOCUS Team asked specifically how much chlorine was in the water. Representatives from the city and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management have consistently said over the last month and a half that the water is passing all chemical tests and is safe to drink, although many residents have questioned that.

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