Kings Mountain residents concerned over water’s “earthy taste” despite officials saying it’s safe to drink

KINGS MOUNTAIN, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The tap water in Kings Mountain has a distinctly earthy taste and smell, and residents want the problem fixed.

One woman said it tastes like “mud and mold.”

Randy Deaver won’t give water from the sink to his dogs, Coda and Chief.

“Looks a little cloudy right there now,” Deaver said Tuesday.

He says it has a “nasty” taste like there’s cleaner in it, and he’s concerned.

“This morning, I got up to take my shower and when I turned the water on, it really stunk,” he said. “I thought, ‘I don’t even know if I want to bathe in it.'”

At Mountain View Restaurant, the staff has made a habit of warning every customer who sits down.

“It’s affected the tea,” said Kim Dulin, a waitress. “Some people tolerate it, and some people just don’t. We cook with it too, and people are kind of putting that together, and I think they’re afraid.”

Dulin thinks the water tastes like a turtle swam in it.

Kings Mountain’s water originates from Moss Lake, less than 10 miles northwest of town.

The city declined QCN’s interview request but said in a statement that the water has “elevated levels of organic matter.” They say it’s not being caused by lake turnover, but by changes in rainfall, heat, storm water runoff, and past dredging activity.

Despite all this, the city says the water is safe to drink.

A spokesperson says the city is treating the water with carbon, slowing the flow rate through treatment basins, flushing affected water out of the system, and stopping dredging.

He did not give a timeframe for when the water would be back to normal. City officials say they’re also working on more permanent solutions, including installing baffle walls and aeration systems.

The city’s statement said in part, “We recognize the inconvenience this has caused for affected residents and appreciate the public’s patience as we work toward both immediate and lasting solutions.”

“It’s affecting a lot of Kings Mountain businesses because I’ve heard a lot of customers talking about it,” Dulin said.

Elaine Ross recently ignored her Mountain View waitress’s advice not to drink the water, but when she tried it, she decided she couldn’t do it.

“I’m used to water tasting good, and it just didn’t taste good,” Ross said. “It was foul, you know?”

A Kings Mountain resident has started a petition that’s accumulated more than 200 signatures.