Senoia Residents Report Brown Tap Water; City Reviews System

Discolored tap water reported by residents in several Senoia neighborhoods last week is drawing new scrutiny to the city’s water system as officials begin a broader review of infrastructure, staffing, and maintenance practices.

The most visible problem surfaced in the Heritage Pointe subdivision, where residents reported brown or yellow water for several days. But posts on local social media suggested the issue was not limited to one neighborhood. Residents in other parts of Senoia said they have experienced similar discoloration, sediment, or inconsistent water quality.

City officials say last week’s incident was caused by malfunctioning filters on two municipal wells serving the Heritage Pointe area.

“The water quality issue in Heritage Point that occurred last week was from the filters not operating properly on those wells and so iron and manganese entered the water system and caused discoloration of the water,” said Mayor Scott Tigchelaar.

The two wells have now been shut down while the city evaluates their future role in the system.

“Neither of those elements are harmful to humans, but nobody wants to drink yellowish brown water,” Mayor Tigchelaar said.

Four days of discolored water

Heritage Pointe homeowner Justin Hill said the problem began Wednesday morning and lasted until crews flushed hydrants and redirected water supplies over the weekend.

“It started Wednesday morning and stained our laundry,” Hill said.

Hill said his family relied on bottled water, avoided doing laundry, and replaced refrigerator filters while waiting for the water to clear.

“We brushed our teeth with bottled water like we were on a camping trip,” Hill said.

Hill, who has lived in Senoia for five years and serves as president of the Heritage Pointe homeowners association, said water discoloration is not a new concern.

“Since I’ve lived in Senoia, our water has consistently been unclear,” he said. “It’s not always that bad, but it’s not clear.”

Hill said the most frustrating part of the incident was the lack of communication from city staff during the four-day disruption.

“To go Wednesday to Saturday with water like that points to a communication problem and a system problem,” Hill said.

However, Hill said Mayor Scott Tigchelaar responded quickly once the issue reached him directly.

“Once he knew about it, it was definitely being handled,” Hill said. “Saturday morning they were out there fixing it.”

Hill said he appreciated the mayor’s willingness to discuss the issue and acknowledge broader concerns about the system.

“I give him credit for that,” Hill said.

Leadership changes during infrastructure review

The water issue comes during a period of transition inside Senoia’s city government.

The leadership gaps come after the city filed a legal complaint this week related to the financial misconduct investigation involving former officials, a case The Citizen reported earlier.

The city’s Public Works director retired last week, effective immediately. At the same time, Senoia is currently without a permanent city manager or assistant city manager following the financial misconduct scandal involving former officials.

With several key administrative positions vacant, Mayor Tigchelaar said the city is working with engineers, outside consultants, and neighboring utilities to evaluate both its water and sewer systems.

“So I was sworn in January 5,” Mayor Tigchelaar said. “Water issues in Senoia didn’t happen in the last seven weeks, but we’re starting to deal with them decisively.”

The mayor said the city is also reviewing maintenance practices such as line flushing and hydrant testing, which help prevent sediment buildup and water stagnation.

Considering outside water sources

As part of that review, Mayor Tigchelaar said Senoia is evaluating whether it should continue operating its own water system or seek help from neighboring utilities.

“We will look at every option for improving the quality and reliability of our water,” Mayor Tigchelaar said.

Those options could include hiring outside management to operate the system or purchasing water from nearby providers such as Coweta County or Fayette County.

“If we can’t deliver the best quality water to our residents, we’re going to find somebody who can,” Mayor Tigchelaar said.