Saint Cloud, Fla. - Two days of discolored water, that’s what some Saint Cloud residents say was their reality over the weekend. Now those same residents are asking the city for answers.

What You Need To Know

  • Saint Cloud has had water quality issues for years, but the city says this case may be different

  • Resident, Brian Riccardi, says since he moved to St. Cloud he doesn’t trust the tap water

  • The City says it’s safe to drink

  • Saint Cloud is investigating the cause of the discoloration of residents’ tap water

Water quality is a constant conversation in Saint Cloud. Residents told Spectrum News 13 it seems like every year they go through the same steps with the city. But city officials said this new complaint may differ from our previous reports.

St. Cloud resident Brian Riccardi says his routine is checking the chlorine and pH levels of the tap water.

“You’re always told not to drink pool water. If you look at the parts per million and the chlorine, this is ideal for a swimming pool and you’re drinking it. Welcome to St. Cloud water,” said Brian Riccardi, St. Cloud resident. 

Riccardi said this isn’t new. He’s been here since 2014 and the quality of the drinking water has always been questionable.

“I do not drink our water. I had a filter right here. I don’t have it right now. The only way I cook with is filter water through the fridge,” said Riccardi.

If it’s not discolored, Riccardi said it doesn’t mean it’s safe to drink. And he knows a bit about water quality. I mean, he has to, in order to take care of his backyard koi pond.

“I’ve got three filters in here. This house is old enough that it has a well. It’s not used for anything other than irrigation. But the well water is actually safer to drink than our tap water. No chlorine in it. It won’t kill the fish. If I were to put the tap water in or put the hose in, it would kill all the fish in here,” said Riccardi.

Spectrum News 13 went to the Saint Cloud City Hall asking what’s being done about the discolored water.

“We can’t say for certain, but our suspicion is that this is not related to our resident issue, but that this is something different in that area,” said Maryemma Bachelder, Communications Dir. For St. Cloud. 

While the city investigates, they are flushing out the water in the area and didn’t need to issue a precautionary boil water notice.

But for Riccardi and his neighbors, they aren’t convinced that everything is fixed.

“Everybody complains about the water and nothing gets done. I just do my part, I filter what I can, and consume what little of it I can. And maybe one day it’ll get fixed,” said Riccardi.

The City of Saint Cloud has flushed out the discolored water.They tell us the water is safe to drink. The cause is currently under investigation.