Lisbon, Maine, Residents Advised 'Not to Drink the Water'

Let's get to the bottom of the brown water in Lisbon, Maine.

Recently, there has been brown water running out of kitchen faucets in this part of Maine and we want to know why.

Apparently, according to WGME, this has happened before. This is understandably frustrating for residents. People expect the water they pay for to be clean, so it’s no surprise that the discoloration has caused extreme upset.

My best friend lives in Lisbon, and she shared a notice that the residents received via Facebook from the Lisbon Water Department stating they are officially directed to not consume the water in Lisbon.

The statement says,

"Due to unsafe drinking water conditions, Lisbon Water Department consumers are directed to Not Drink the Water. This includes making ice cubes, food preparation, brushing teeth or any activity involving consumption of water. This Order shall remain in effect until further notice!"

According to the WGME article, Lisbon Water Department Interim General Manager Shellie Reynolds also put out a statement recently saying in part,

"We have actively been addressing the complaints for the water quality issues for these last few weeks but especially the brown water that had affected several areas of Lisbon and Lisbon Falls in the last 24 hours. We have flushed several areas and understand that the water has cleared up in the water main."

She added that customers might need to flush their service line to ensure clean water at their location.

Folks who live in Lisbon reported that the water district responded by flushing multiple fire hydrants in the affected areas, the news station reported.

Reynolds said in the WGME article that if people were seeing discoloration or having water issues to call their office at (207) 353-3020.

As per the Lisbon Water Department's Facebook Page, they are now working with the Maine CDC to "protect the health of the people and animals of the town."

In this post, they referred to an accidental release of potentially high levels of arsenic this past Wednesday. Is that what the culprit is?

The post goes on to say that "Arsenic can get into your body through water or food or an open wound, and can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach bleeding, brain swelling, fast or irregular heart rhythm, low blood pressure, unconsciousness, or death."

Hopefully, for the sake of the town, its residents and the animals, this issue will be resolved soon, and clean water will flow once again