The plastic bucket Dixie Pifer brought with her to Monday's city council meeting was half full, or half empty, depending on the way one looks at it, of orange water.

Pifer's neighbors also brought liquid exhibits in various shades of ocher.

Residents of East Main and Grant streets, they informed the council that various shades of yellow, orange or brown are the standard shades of water coming from their taps.

Customers of Indiana-American Water, Pifer, Patty Valentine and Berneda Runkel said they've complained about the water quality since 1996.

"I have extra costs now," Valentine said, saying she purchases water to drink. "I can't use the hot water. I have to buy more things to clean our home. The clothes I bought at Christmas time are ruined. My boy is sick."

Valentine said the ongoing problem has been reported to state offices.

Hal Gurkin, Indiana-American superintendent, approached the board, saying he is directly responsible and well aware of the problems on East Fort Wayne and East Main streets.

He detailed telephone complaints dating back to April 1996. There were 36 "rusty" water complaints in 1999 and 17 in 2000.

Indiana-American Water Co. assumed the service from Hoosier Water in February 2000.

Gurkin said after each call the company flushed out the lines. For the 2000 budget, $30,000 was earmarked to rehabilitate the system. However, because of the events in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, the money went to increased security measures.

Shortly thereafter, the No. 2 well collapsed, costing $100,000 to repair.

Gurkin outlined several procedures used to rectify the situation, giving dates for each approach.

The area water lines were flushed last week, the first time in nine months, a reverse flow procedure was done. Hauling out a piece of water main strapped with couplings and fixtures, Gurkin demonstrated the "12 o'clock" tap installed at the Pifer house. The top-side tap draws water off the top of the pipe.

"I am not prepared to stop until the problem is solved," he said. "I need them to call me, instead of the mayor, though."

The council wasn't buying Gurkin's explanations and said they didn't expect citizens to, either.

"Twenty- one thousand dollars in your company is not a whole lot in the scheme of things and if your superiors had faith in your judgment they'd come up with your money," Mayor Ernie Wiggins said. "I want to make sure the powers that are above you understand the problem."

Councilman Joe Thallemer asked why Gurkin thought a simple flush would take care of the problem.

"You've known about this since 1996," Thallemer said. "They've been calling the water company for five years."

Councilman Jeff Grose, who recently moved to Clark Street, said he now finds himself directly affected by the bad water.

"I am not letting my family drink the water," Grose said. "We have to yell at my 3-year-old to stay away from the sink. We're paying $40 to you and more to someone else for drinking water.

"You're asking them to pay and saying you'll provide quality water. You're not doing that. They're getting very frustrated."

Grose pointed out the problem is isolated - limited to Main Fort Wayne, Grant and Clark streets.

"They want clean water coming into their homes and you keep charging them each month [for unclean water]," Grose said.

"I can find $20,000," Gurkin said. "Let's be honest. But what if that doesn't work?"

"We're not questioning your integrity," councilwoman Trish Brown said. "But if you'll stand there and tell us you can come up with the $21,000, then fix it. Do it."

Grose asked Gurkin for a timetable and a checklist to remedy the problem.

"What do you need? You've had two years. Why wasn't it fixed a year ago, six months ago? What do you plan to do now?" he asked.

The council held a short recess before returning to other business.

Members of the city council are: Joe Thallemer, Trish Brown, Jeff Grose, George Clemens, Jerry Patterson and Bill Rhoades. [[In-content Ad]]