In Cedar Rapids, we're blessed with good water. In the 30+ years that I've lived in the city, I can't ever remember it being discolored or having any issues drinking it. Residents of many cities aren't so lucky but, thankfully, situations like the one in a central Iowa town are rare.

The town is Mitchellville. It's east of Altoona and sits on the south side of Interstate 80, with parts of town in either Polk and Jasper counties. The town's water woes have been going on for decades.

Sixteen-year Mitchellville resident Beth Burnett told KCCI her family has experienced issues with the water ever since they moved in:

Since 2005, we've had a massive issue with our water from the color to the taste. We've literally never had a single drink out of our faucet before.

Burnett spends approximately $100 each month on water bottles and filters. She's had enough and so have other residents of the 146-year-old town that 2,258 people call home, according to City-Data. Both of the pictures below have been posted by residents in the last week-and-a-half.

Lisa Buller Selover You Know You're From Mitchellville, IA When
Lisa Buller Selover You Know You're From Mitchellville, IA When
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Trisha Doorenbos Richey via You Know You're From Mitchellville, IA When..., Facebook
Trisha Doorenbos Richey via You Know You're From Mitchellville, IA When..., Facebook
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Nicholas Murrow, a Mitchellville Councilman who's lived in the town his entire life, admits he can't remember a time when the water wasn't discolored. He says the water is tested every day and is safe for drinking. Murrow says the city is working on the problem:

Our old lines are cast iron and have been in the ground for over 60 years. They get a lot of sediment built up, rust deposits, and I think as we increase flushing, which we're starting this week of the mains, it'll reduce a lot of that sediment.

So far, about a third of the town's water mains have been replaced. It will take another 11 years to complete the job. That's not fast enough for residents, especially when they hear a city vote is coming next week on a new fire station.

Burnett shared with KCCI,

With the current problems with our water system, we feel that we need to have our infrastructure repaired before we move on to another very expensive project.

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