ROCK HILL, SC (WBTV) – Residents in one Rock Hill community are experiencing a water crisis.
Several people called WBTV saying Quail Meadows Mobile Park has not had water since the last week of August.
WBTV saw crews trying to figure out where the leak could possibly be. One of the owners, Jack Smith, did not want to go on camera but did answer some questions for us about this process. Smith says crews have been out here almost every day for the last week and a half. He says crews have been going underneath each mobile home trying to find the source.
He also tells us that the company brought in two tankards late last week to help get the water back on with enough water pressure to take a shower, but neighbors say they only just got water back on yesterday. Neighbors also say even with the water back on, it is not clean and they still struggle to get enough pressure to even take a shower.
No water means no showers, no dishes, no flushing toilets, nothing. So many people spent 40, 50, and even 60 dollars a day just trying to make up for not having that one basic need.
“We started getting trickles of water,” says one resident. “Me and the boys looked at each other and said oh no not again.”
That Quail Meadows resident is doing her dishes for the first time in about two weeks. That is because her water is finally running again.
“Very frustrating. I got a washer and dryer I can’t use. I had to go to the laundromat. You have to have clean clothes. Can’t go around stanking. You can’t take a shower or a bath,” she says.
WBTV learned the problem is affecting all of Quail Meadows and even some mobile homes down the street, all owned by Smith Properties LLC. Another resident, showed a side-by-side comparison with the murky water coming out of her faucet.
“I don’t want my kids drinking it. I don’t want my animals drinking it. I don’t want to have to think twice about running my water and giving it to my kids. I don’t want to have to think twice about it,” says that resident.
This is not the first time either. WBTV was out in this same neighborhood just four years ago reporting on this same issue. This time, residents say they only received one case of water from Smith Properties.
“That water doesn’t cover what we have to go through because we have to take a shower in it,” she says.
“Three people living in the house for a case of water really? And that’s to wash with and to drink and everything else,” says that first resident.
Many are spending money going out to eat, driving to take showers and even buying their own water. WBTV asked Smith Properties how they planned to make up those costs. We were told there is no plan right now.
“And they probably won’t because this happened the last time and we had to pay our rent,” she says.
Ultimately, many of the people I talked to just want the issue fixed permanently because they are tired of holding their breath and waiting for the water to stop.
“I talked to my neighbor the other day. He’s been here 30 years and he says it’s always an issue. He and his wife are looking for a house. I told him if I wasn’t in the situation I was in I’d be looking for a house too,” she says.
We did talk to one of the Smiths out here on the scene but he told us he didn’t know about reimbursement. The property manager told us the top owner has been on vacation. WBTV is told there will be a meeting tomorrow about what the company can do to rectify this situation. We will check in to see what plan the owner comes up with.
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