06/08/2026
On Friday afternoon, 6/5, a water customer on the Newberry Utilities system had a failure on a customer owned fire hydrant behind their meter. It took about 5 hours to resolve the issue. During this time, our Water Plant had to supply water at more than 100% of normal operation in order to maintain system pressure for customers and for fire protection. This has resulted in a lot of sediment getting stirred up across the water system. We have technicians flushing hydrants at key locations to clear this cloudy water and restore the system to normal clarity.
The water is safe for consumption, however, you should check for sediment in the screens on your faucets and run water for a couple of minutes to clear the cloudy water from your water lines in your home or business.
**What you can do:**
- Run cold water from the lowest faucet in your home or business for a couple of minutes until it runs clear.
- Check the screens (aerators) on your faucets. To clean them:
1. With the faucet off, use a pair of channel lock pliers (wrap the aerator with a cloth or tape to protect the finish).
2. Unscrew and remove the screen.
3. Flip it over, turn the faucet on, and flush water backward through the screen to clean it.
4. Reinstall the screen.
Also clean showerheads if needed.
**For older adults or anyone who needs help:** If you are unable to clean the screens yourself, please call us at **803-321-1018**. We can assist you or send a technician to help.
We apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you for your patience!
