BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WPMI) — Many Baldwin County residents are raising concerns about the accumulation of black slime in their plumbing.
Barnwell resident Gary Trainer said the black slime currently clogging the nozzles on his showerhead is just a small part of the icky substance he has to clean out of his water fixtures every week.
“You know, it's not very tempting when you consider drinking it or showering with it,” Trainer said.
Trainer has experienced the disgusting slime since he moved to the community from Texas a year ago.
“I've never seen a situation like this before. I mean, there's mold, you know? A little mold in the shower, and you clean it off. But this slime thing is something else entirely,” said Trainer.
Trainer posted his experience, which included a strange smell, on his community's Facebook page. He was overwhelmed by the reaction from people across the county.
“I was inundated with comments saying, 'Yeah, we have that too. We have slime in the shower and slime on the faucets,'” Trainer said.
Trainer said Fairhope Utilities crews tested the water supply to his home, but he was told the results on their side were unremarkable.
“These are problems that typically occur within the home and not with what we supply to the home,” said Jay Whitman, water utility manager for Fairhope Utilities.
Whitman said he gets frequent calls about the issue, but the department has an extensive system for removing contaminants and follows state law by regularly testing for bacteria throughout the city.
“If it's sitting in a faucet or toilet, you have bacteria in the air in your home that will create mold,” Whitman said. “In the South, you see it almost everywhere. Mold is a big problem, and once it starts growing, it's very difficult to completely remove it.”
Plumbing experts told NBC 15 the problem is likely caused by bacteria growing on naturally occurring metals dissolved in water, and this is more common in homes with older pipes.
Cade Kistler of Mobile Baykeeper says installing a water filtration system is the best way to prevent contaminants from entering your home.
“Some of these contaminants could be invisible, odorless and tasteless. One of the newer or most groundbreaking is a contaminant called PFAS. It could make you sick if you drink this water over a long period of time,” Kistler said.
NBC 15's Cory Pippin also called the Baldwin County Health Department about the mucus complaints, but has not yet received a response.
If you want to learn more about your city's tap water, you can visit the website of the nonprofit Environmental Working Group.
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