Rusty Water in Long Island Village Safe to Drink: Officials

Authorities say the brown water coming out of faucets in one Long Island village is safe to drink, but for some reidents, the news is hard to swallow.

The brown color is caused by a higher than normal iron content in the 90-year-old pipes of Malverne, according to the local water company, which says some homeowners may have to deal with the problem for several more years as it works to replace the aging mains.

It’s unclear exactly how many homes in this village of about ten thousand are affected; but a number of “brown water” pictures have been posted on a 300 member Facebook page titled “I love Malverne but hate the brown water.”

“It looks like mud and it’s disgusting,” said Malverne homeowner Vincenzo D’Andraia.

The father of two said he won’t let his young sons take a bath in the murky water.

Malverne neighbor Jeanne D’Esposito will neither drink nor cook with the water.

“Who drinks rust?” “D’Esposito asked. “You’re not going to do that.”

According to D’Esposito, the brown water has made life miserable.

“It stains all of my clothes. All of my fixtures, my sinks and my tubs all have rust stains. They’re all brown.”

Homeowners have been complaining about the problem for at least four years, said Malverne village mayor Patricia McDonald; but the brown water has continued to flow.

Locals’ frustration poured out Wednesday night, as homeowners filled village hall for a meeting with an official of the NY American Water company.

“It’s unacceptable,” one mother told water company Vice President Brian Bruce.

Bruce told residents the water is safe and insisted the company is doing all it can to replace the aging mains and eliminate the problem.

But under the water company’s plan for the future, Bruce acknowleged the expensive work of replacing water mains could take years to complete.

“They need to do better,” said Mayor McDonald, who called on NY’s utility watchdog, the Public Service Commission, to push NY American Water to finish the work in a more timely fashion.

If that doesn’t happen, at least one resident threatened legal action against the water company.

“This is completely unacceptable,” D’Esposito said. “Everybody has brown water!”