BALTIMORE — E-Coli found in water samples in West Baltimore back in September gave a scare to the whole community. They were left without water for days.
RELATED: No E. coli detected in latest test of City water system, boil water advisory lifted
Now, those residents will be seeing a discount on their water bill.
Today, Mayor Brandon Scott announced Baltimore City residents will be seeing a 25 percent discount on their water bill, starting this week, but will that be enough?
"That's just a band-aid for real, it's just putting a band-aid on the wound,” says Shasa Johnson, who lives in West Baltimore.
"25 percent, what is it a token? A token to say hey we messed up, but we're not going to say we messed up,” says Doni Taylor, who lives in West Baltimore.
Some residents in West Baltimore are still on edge about the amount of time it took for city officials to get the word out, after E-Coli was found in samples of water in Southwest Baltimore over Labor Day weekend.
"A friend of ours in Florida text my wife, called my wife to tell her don't drink the water,” said Taylor.
Residents were on a boil water advisory for days, where city officials continued to hand out bottled water in the affected areas until the all clear was given.
It wasn't until the end of September that officials found out what caused the E-Coli contamination in the water.
"It was aging infrastructure. We had three infrastructure failures of pipes that were over 100 years old,” said Jason Mitchell, Department of Public Works Director.
Residents in the affected areas were then required to flush the water system immediately after boil water advisory was lifted, which left many with large water bills.
To make up for that, Scott announced the 25 percent discount.
Mitchell says the discount will be applied starting Tuesday to around 200,000 accounts within the city.
"It will be reflected on your October and/or November bill, but it will be a 25 percent discount of your September bill. So that will be how it works. It's for Baltimore City residents,” says Mitchell.
RELATED: Baltimore residents to get 25% water discount following E. Coli contamination
Mitchell says all accounts should show the credit by the end of November, but the five dollar Bay Restoration fee from the state will not be included.
He says DPW is working to replace the aged pipes at 15 miles of pipe a year, and is checking the 90 locations every week in the city to be proactive if this should occur again.
If you do not see the credit reflected on your bill by the end of November, Mitchell says to call or email DPW or call 311.
