KILLEEN, Texas (KXXV) — Recent notices about potentially galvanized and lead-exposed pipes have alarmed residents in North Killeen.
Some households received water filters to address the unsafe water conditions, but many residents feel the city's communication has fallen short.
Tiffany Magness, whose husband serves in the military at Fort Cavazos and has a disabled daughter, expressed her concerns about the delivery method of these notices.
"They had tried to bring it by, and it was an orange rolled-up paper stuck in my fence, not even at the door," Magness said.
"We were home, but no one knocked on the door, they just stuck it in our fence, and it was an orange notice about the water filter."
The City of Killeen did not agree to an on-camera interview but provided a statement claiming that they have done all they can for their portion of the lines.
The city emphasized that the galvanized portion of the pipes is the "responsibility of the customers."
However, Magness believes this is unrealistic for residents.
"It tastes really heavy, you can taste the chemicals, it tastes like copper — even though they bring the water filtration, the water pitcher, we’re still having to cook with it, shower with it, clean our homes with it," she said.
"We’re still having to put it on our bodies, and we’re still gonna be absorbing the lead and copper."
She also highlighted the lack of access to necessary resources for addressing the issue.
"What average citizen has access to someone, for someone that would have access like a utility worker? I mean, not everybody’s a contractor or has a contractor in their pocket," Magness said.
Feeling ignored and unprotected, she expressed her frustration with the city's response to the situation.
When asked if she thinks the City of Killeen properly protects and looks out for its residents in North Killeen, she simply responded, "no."
