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Residents of South Greensboro gathered with city officials and representatives from the City of Greensboro Water Resources Department and the Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority (PTRWA) to discuss ongoing problems with discolored tap water. The meeting was held on September 30 at East Market Seventh Day Adventist Church on W. Vandalia Road in Greensboro.
Concerns about water quality were first reported in July 2024, with noticeable spikes in complaints last November and again between April and July of this year. For more than a year, households in the area have complained that their tap water is brown, yellow, or murky. The persistent problem has disrupted daily routines, raised health concerns, and left residents frustrated with city leadership.
Lora Hinson, who has lived in south Greensboro for more than 20 years, spoke openly about how the issue has affected her battle with Lupus.
“I need my water to be where I can drink it, because I have health issues,” she said. “I have to bathe with it, I have to cook with it, and because I body-build, I drink a lot of water. I shouldn’t have to keep buying bottled water. I shouldn’t have had to go to Home Depot to buy a device to put on my water heater. Every month when the water bill comes, I pay it. Now, I have to buy extra things to make sure my water is clear and clean so that I can stay healthy.”
Other residents reported damage to laundry, plumbing fixtures, and appliances, as well as foul tastes and odors from their taps. Several said they believe city leaders have failed to adequately communicate the cause of the problem or provide effective solutions.
“Just be transparent with the community,” said Crystal Black, a leader in the Southeast Greensboro Coalition and a candidate for the District 1 city council seat. “The city’s recommendation has been to continuously flush until the water is clear or call the city to flush the hydrants. That’s the only solution we’ve been given, and we’re asked to endure that for two years. That’s unacceptable.”
Black also noted that the burden is falling hardest on underserved communities.
“You’re asking the most underserved area of the southside to bear the burden of this first,” she said.
Greensboro Water Resources Director Mike Borchers explained that possible causes include aging infrastructure and the stirring up of iron and manganese sediments in water lines due to disruptions, such as upgrades at the Townsend Water Treatment Plant and water main breaks. Those disruptions, he said, are contributing to discoloration in the southern part of the system.
Some residents, however, tied the problem to the city’s recent expansions in water service, particularly to the Toyota battery plant and the Publix Distribution Center.
“When the Toyota plant opened up, that’s when the water was discolored,” resident Keith Peterson said. “Ain’t no ifs, ands, or buts about it.”
Borchers rejected that claim, noting the Toyota plant had been operating nearly a year before the first complaints.
“I don’t make that correlation,” he said. “Now, could you say it’s a contributor? Possibly, but not the direct result.”
Greensboro’s water system supplies multiple treatment plants, including Townsend, Mitchell, Burlington, Reidsville, and PTRWA. PTRWA Executive Director Gregg Flory assured residents that extensive testing shows the water, though discolored, still meets federal safety standards. Current testing indicates elevated levels of iron and manganese, which cause discoloration.
The city has also brought in outside experts to study the issue. Meg Roberts, associate vice president and engineering consultant with Hazen and Sawyer, explained that PTRWA can operate in two modes: split or series. She said series mode is preferable because it releases less manganese into the system.
City officials outlined the next steps, including targeted flushing and repairs. Work will begin in southwest Greensboro, followed by southeast Greensboro by March 2026, and eventually extend to south Greensboro later next year.
“Why are we starting with southwest and southeast Greensboro? That is where we saw the highest number of complaints,” Borchers said. “We haven’t forgotten about south Greensboro.”
City Councilmember Sharon Hightower, who represents south Greensboro, said she is committed to getting the issue fixed quickly.
“I believe that we’re on the right path to getting this resolved. But we need to expedite the timeline to get this problem solved,” she said.
Assistant City Manager Trey Davis promised regular updates and continued water quality testing. The Water Resources Department will make the results public, and officials are considering forming a committee of residents and city staff to guide the next steps.
At the end of the meeting, residents were directed to continue reporting water issues to the city’s 24/7 water and sewer dispatcher at 336-373-2033. More information on the city’s water resources can be found at www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/water-resources.
