By Jacqueline
Sit
NewsWest 9
MENTONE,
TEXAS -
They've never had water safe enough to drink but now all that is
about to change in Mentone.
Jacqueline
Sit traveled to Loving County to find out how the change is going to
make life a whole lot easier.
The water is
so bad, the Smiths' had to drive half-an-hour, twice-a-week to Pecos
to get their water supply just for their daily needs.
"Just
like Ex-Lax," says long time Mentone resident Delores Smith.
You heard
right. She said Ex-Lax. Delores Smith is not talking
about the medicine.
She's talking
about her 'water'.
"The
water smells, I can turn on that faucet over there and it smells
like gas and oil a lot of time," says Smith.
This is where
they get the water from their well house but the mineral deposit is
so heavy, they need this carbon filtration system and even
then...you still can't drink the water.
"It's
hard. I can't even use my dishwasher because like I said
awhile ago it's like washing in buttermilk and they don't look
good," says Smith.
And that's
the least of her overflowing problem.
The water is
so tough; you can see the deposit collected in and outside of this
sink, forcing the smiths' to change their plumbing every two years.
But soon,
that's all about to change thanks to a half-a-million-dollar state
grant. Loving County Judge Skeet Jones says the town's dream
is coming true.
"It's
God-sent, this has been a dream for the people in the town of
Mentone, to turn on their tap and have water they can drink,"
says Loving County Judge Skeet Jones.
In three
months, when the Smiths travel to another town, it won't be because
they have any water woes to worry about.
"I guess
it'll keep your commodes clean. Honestly I need a chisel to
clean my commode the water is so bad, it's cruddy," says Smith.
The project
is expected to be finished by the end of June.
amberburrows1981
Dear
News West 9,
The story was GREAT! I was so happy to see our town in the news.
It will be so wonderful to finally have good drinking water in our
community.
I really appreciate the time that was taken to travel WAY out to our
neck of the woods to capture our story!
Jacqueline
Sit, thank you. You did fantastic work! ;)
Delores
Smith, Kennith Smith and Skeet Jones!!!! YOU LOOKED GREAT ~ and I AM
proud of YOU!!!!
Sincerely,
Amber Burrows
