Fresno still working to clean up discolored water but EPA says they are complying with rules

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The City of Fresno is still working to clear up the discolored water problem in Northeast Fresno and hoping to head off problems in other parts of the city.

The city's northeast surface water treatment plant is back online. It was shut down six months ago as the city switched to well water to try and figure out why its water was corroding metal plumbing in homes.

City Public Utilities Director Thomas Esqueda says the research is still underway and the city is also hoping to prevent problems when a new treatment plant goes online.

"We are really getting set up to run the Southeast surface water treatment plant, a year in advance working on that-- trying to see what the optimum corrosion control chemistry we can to there, working with the state looking at all the different options."

The City of Fresno issued a news release Wednesday saying the Environmental Protection Agency found the city was complying with what's known as the lead and copper rule.

The rule requires the city to routinely monitor the lead level in the water of homes built during the 1980's with copper plumbing. However, most of the corrosion and lead problems in Northeast Fresno occurred in homes not covered by the rule.