Germantown city officials warn of unsafe drinking water after diesel fuel leak

WATCH: Germantown city officials remind residents to not drink the water after diesel leak

GERMANTOWN, Tenn. - Germantown is dealing with a water crisis. According to city leaders, diesel fuel leaked into a reservoir.

The discovery was made Thursday afternoon.

Crews must now pump the diesels out, but officials aren’t sure how long it will take.

As of 8 a.m. on Friday, Germantown remains under an order to use water only for flushing toilets. Crews have worked overnight to resolve the issue resulting in restricted water usage, according to Germantown officials.

The Public Works is in the process of flushing and neutralizing the system with testing that is expected by late afternoon.

According to the city of Germantown officials, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation must provide clearance before the restriction on water usage is lifted.

For now, residents are told not to drink the water even after boiling it, not to bathe in it and not to give it to your pets.

WATCH: City officials address unsafe drinking water in Germantown

“This morning at about 9 o’clock, we started getting calls from residents about a funny smell in the water,” Bo Mills, with Germantown Public Works, said. “They said it smelled sort of like fuel.”

The city officials said those residents were right: There was diesel fuel in the water.

According to officials, it leaked out of a generator being used to power the water treatment plant on Southern Avenue since it lost power Tuesday.

WATCH: Germantown water crisis continues as residents provided with free water

By Thursday evening, restaurants were forced to close their doors. But for some, the news came too late.

“Thing is, I’ve been drinking this water all day,” Jeremy Crowe, a Germantown resident, said. “I just found out about it and I drank about five liters today.”

WATCH: The dangers and symptoms of drinking water contaminated by diesel fuel

Crowe said he even showered in it.

“No one smoke around me, I guess,” he said.

He headed to the grocery store to stock up on bottled water, but said the shelves were empty.

“Apparently there was some kind of bum-rush on water,” Crowe said. “I heard people were walking out with four or five cases at a time.”

He was only able to get milk and soft drinks and said he isn’t sure what he should give his dogs to drink.

“I don’t know. I’m probably going to end up boiling water so they have something clean,” he said.

City officials advise against using the water even after it is boiled. They said about 100 gallons of diesel fuel got in the reservoir and they are working to sort the situation out, but Crowe can’t believe it happened in the first place.

“We put a man on the moon. We have water that has diesel in it in 2023,” he said. “We can’t get our water safe? I don’t understand it. I don’t understand it. I don’t know. Maybe we should ask AI.”

UPDATE: As of Friday evening, Germantown residents remain under an order to use water only for flushing toilets.

Crews drained the affected reservoirs Friday morning before the reservoirs were refilled in the afternoon, city officials said. Results from the first round of tests are expected Saturday morning.

Residents are encouraged to sign up for text notifications through the Germantown Alert system. To opt in, visit Germantown-TN.gov/alert or text “alert” to 901-979-9955.

A water distribution will take place from 9 a.m.-noon Saturday at Forest Hill Elementary, located at 3368 Forest Hill Road. One case of bottled water will be available for each car.

Residents can also bring their own containers and fill with an unlimited supply of water at Bailey Station Elementary, 3435 Station Road, Collierville, from 9 a.m.-noon Saturday.

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